Peta Mathias is a respected and prolific New Zealand chef, author and broadcaster, who now builds on the culinary travel experience with her gastronomic tours in the South of France, Morocco and India. Having started off her culinary love affair in Paris with her restaurant 'Rose Blues' in the 5th arrondissement, she returned to New Zealand ten years later to teach, cook and write. 'Fête Accomplie', the first book about life in Paris with recipes, is also the first of her eight award winning gastronomic travel books written about North Africa, France, New Zealand, Ireland and Vietnam. 'Can We Help It If We're Fabulous?' a book about women, came out in August 2008. It was an instant bestseller, is still being reprinted and has now been published in great Britain by Mainstream. Then came 'A Matter of Taste' - a book of photographs of women's accessories made of food taken by Italian photographer Fulvio Bonavia, with text by Peta. The latest book 'Just In Time To Be Too Late - why men are like buses' came out in November 2009 and hit the best seller list within a week.

For twelve years Peta presented the prime time travel/food shows 'Taste New Zealand', 'Taste Takes off' and 'A Taste of Home'. In 2006 she presented the food segment on TV One's 'House & Garden'. The NZ Guild of Writers voted Peta as the Supreme Award winner at the New Zealand Guild of Food Writers Culinary Quill Awards held on Oct 17, 2003. The Supreme Award is a new category in the Culinary Quills biennial awards, which recognises the most outstanding entry of the fourteen category winners. Mavis Airey, President of the Guild said the judges found it difficult selecting an overall winner and it was Peta's passion for the craft of food communications that made the final decision.

Peta was born and bred in Auckland, a stunningly sparkling port city where she still lives but travels extensively researching books, filming her series and hosting her culinary tours. She is a member and judge of Slow Food and is proud of the fact that she lives in one of the cleanest, most beautiful countries in the world. Peta has recently set up her own production company to make cooking DVDs and food/travel series called 'Peta Unplugged'. 'Ten Recipes For Fabulous Summer Entertaining' DVD is on sale in stores and can be bought on line. More information can be found here. 'Peta Unplugged in Marrakech', a six part series will screen on Prime TV early 2010.

To contact Peta for work visit her agents website: www.sportingcontacts.co.nz