The Cook Islands Barbeque Alliance (CIBA) is thrilled to announce its participation in the highly anticipated Meatstock Hamilton 2025 festival, New Zealand’s biggest barbecue event, for the first time.

The festival brings together barbeque enthusiasts for two full-on days of live music and barbecue in the fields of Mystery Creek on Friday, February 14, and Saturday, February 15.

Last year, over 14,000 Kiwis celebrated the local barbecue and music scene and this year promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Taua Elisa, Helema Elisa, Anna Fittal, Mark Fittall and Tony McChesney are excited to be a part of the popular event.

Husband and wife duo Taua and Helema are the local Monemone BBQ team, champions of the Raro Fire and Food Festival, the Cook Islands barbecue pitmasters competition, in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Aui Auariki was also a member of their team in the initial event.

In March 2022, Taua joined the local team Savage Barbecue, which included Cameron Leach and Tom McDonald, in the Tai Tokerau Low and Slow Barbeque Competition in Northland, New Zealand.

For several years, New Zealand pitmasters – those who oversee the cooking done in a barbecue pit – have visited Rarotonga for the Raro Fire and Food Festival.

“The guys in New Zealand have been to our pit and were impressed with our cooking. They’ve invited us to go along, we will be the first Cook Islands team at Meatstock,” said Taua.

He is passionate about solid fuel-fired barbecues and fire cooking, including how to cook perfect pork ribs and brisket.

“For us, we just tunutunu, do the umu, use the roaster or barbeque with soya sauce … what our palate is used to,” said Taua.

“We’re so used to using just salt for fish tunutunu, I’m sick of eating soya sauce on chops and everything barbequed.

“So, bringing this good, different way of cooking into the community is something people don’t need to be nervous about.

“We were nervous the first time and were pushed in, but as soon as you start cooking it’s actually not as bad. You learn, you tweak your taste and the rubs and develop your own flavours.”

Taua said individuals may find that the rubs – a mix of seasoning and flavouring ingredients applied to meat or poultry before cooking – can sometimes be quite overpowering.

“Some will hit you with different flavours, sweet, savoury and bit of heat. Not just soya sauce I like this style of cooking, I think it’s the flavours, the taste and texture.”

Last week, the team held a successful fundraiser to help meet the costs of their preparation for the event.

“We’re excited to be cooking alongside cooking heroes.”

When the team returns, they will host mini cook offs as a build up to the Raro Fire and Food Festival in June. Proceeds from this event will go toward the Sailing Club.

“We hope to inspire more locals,” said Taua, a former national sailor.

The team would like to acknowledge their sponsors, CITC Butchery, Paradise Supplies, Uncle Tom’s Barbeque and the community, as well as those in New Zealand, offering their help with things such as donating charcoal and other things.

The NZ Barbeque Alliance has about 40 teams, and 10 international teams are taking part in this event that will feature live bands like Ladyhawke, Shapeshifter and Kora, among others.