urban Flair Cafe

About urban Flair Cafe

Urban Flair at 248 Main Rd in Kumeu is the project of an experienced, creative chef whose roots are French, Spanish and Italian. Growing up 'lulled by this mixture of culture, languages and of course cuisine', he now mixes flavours and cuisines across a coffee shop, a catering service, a transformed horse float food truck and a private chef offering — revisiting traditional dishes and re-imagining them as street food that surprises. Think beef bourguignon with a dash of chocolate and Espelette chilli served as a burger, duck with olives turned into dumplings, or free range pork slow cooked with Lemon & Paeroa for pulled pork.

The food truck — a horse float given a second life — brings gourmet burgers in garlic and butter toasted brioche buns, corn tortilla tacos, sweet crepes, brunch plates and a nibbles menu to weddings, corporate events, birthdays, private dinners and markets around the Auckland region. For something more intimate, the private chef service delivers two, three, four or five course fine dining dinners in your own home: the chef does all the cooking while you observe, interact and focus on your guests. A caravan bar rounds out the event offering.

Urban Flair supports small Kiwi businesses, working only with local suppliers wherever possible and favouring free range and organic products. Packaging, containers and cutlery are biodegradable, eco friendly and sustainable. As the chef puts it: 'The secret ingredient is always love.'

Urban Flair Cafe Kumeu: French-Kiwi Street Food, Gourmet Burgers & Private Chef Dining

At 248 Main Rd in Kumeu — the gateway to Auckland's west coast wine country — Urban Flair brings together a coffee shop, a catering kitchen, a food truck and a private chef service. The project belongs to an experienced, creative chef whose roots are French, Spanish and Italian. He grew up, in his own words, lulled by a mixture of cultures, languages and, of course, cuisine — and it shows on every plate, where traditional dishes are revisited as street food and sweet meets savoury in unexpected ways.

The philosophy is easy to sum up. Why not cook a beef bourguignon with a dash of chocolate and Espelette chilli pepper in the sauce, then serve it as a burger? Or take traditional duck with olives and serve it in dumplings with orange and sweet chilli sauce? At Urban Flair, free range pork is slow cooked with Lemon & Paeroa — the quintessential Kiwi soft drink — to make pulled pork. The aim is dishes that take you to a different world, awaken memories and make you smile.

The Food Truck: A Horse Float with Flair

Urban Flair's mobile kitchen is a transformed horse float, hired out for weddings, corporate events, birthdays, ladies' lunches, hen's parties and markets with what the team calls the most relaxed and chilled out atmosphere. The gourmet burger line-up is at the heart of it: every burger comes in a fresh garlic and butter toasted brioche bun, from the wild Alpine Deer venison patty with black truffle aioli to the L&P pulled pork with tamarillo and plum sauce and caramelised apple. The chicken (Tegel) and beef mince (Pure South) are halal, and an Impossible plant patty covers vegan guests.

Tacos come on authentic Mexican corn tortillas with a gluten-free option — try the French-style roast duck with hoisin and pickled ginger, or Moroccan roasted cauliflower with roasted peach. Around them sit garlic and butter fries, kumara fries with black truffle aioli, lemon and black pepper crispy squid, fresh salads, and a sweet crepe stand where salted butter caramel is the Breton classic. A cafe-style brunch menu runs from Guillaume's eggs benedict on homemade rosti to pain perdu with bacon, banana and maple syrup. For events, a nibbles menu stretches from pork bao buns and empanadas to truffle arancini and quiche by the dozen.

A Private Chef in Your Own Kitchen

The other side of Urban Flair is quieter and more intimate: full multi-course dinners of two, three, four or five courses cooked in your own home. The chef does all the cooking while you focus on your guests — you are welcome to observe and interact from the comfort of your own kitchen. Sample menus have included grilled Bluff oysters with pancetta and brown butter, NZ king salmon tartare with honey and soy cured egg yolk, 21-day aged Angus pure scotch fillet with walnut butter and smoky Opito Bay salt, and a Bordeaux red wine braised lamb shank with dark chocolate and Espelette chilli sauce.

Desserts lean unmistakably French: tarte au citron meringuee with lemongrass and coconut crumble, La Poire with horopito ice cream, and a lime and matcha creme brulee with caramelised pear (a Spanish Crema Catalana version is available). Every menu is customised to your tastes and dietary requirements.

Kiwi Suppliers, Lighter Footprint

Urban Flair supports small Kiwi businesses, working only with local suppliers wherever possible and favouring free range and organic products. Packaging, containers and cutlery are biodegradable, eco friendly and sustainable — a point of pride for events of any size. A caravan bar is also available to pour drinks at your gathering.

Visiting Urban Flair

Find the cafe at 248 Main Rd in Kumeu, or call 020 4082 5841 or email urban.flair.nz@gmail.com to book the food truck, the caravan bar or a private chef evening. Whether it is a burger by the float, grazing platters for a hen's party, or a five-course dinner where you watch every move, one motto holds throughout: the secret ingredient is always love.

Signature items

• Lemon & Paeroa Pulled Pork Burger
• Venison Burger
• Duck Tacos
• Aged Angus Pure Scotch Fillet
• Lamb Shank
• Pain Perdu (French Toast)

Menu

Tacos

• Duck Tacos — French-style roast duck, red cabbage, hoisin, pickled ginger, fried onions
• Chicken Tacos — Garlic & butter roast free range chicken, slaw, pickled ginger, black pepper lemon & candied garlic aioli
• Lemon & Paeroa Pulled Pork Tacos — Pork slow cooked in L&P and smoky BBQ sauce, plum sauce, caramelised apple, pickled red onions
• Beef Brisket Tacos — Slow cooked brisket, slaw, pickled red onions, fried shallots
• Vegan Tacos — Moroccan roast cauliflower, roasted peach, pickled red onions, wasabi garlic aioli

Salads

• Lucia's Salad — Mesclun, pomegranate, courgette noodles, black wild rice, passionfruit & lime dressing, mint
• Italian Salad — Grilled peaches, prosciutto, blue & goat cheese, croutons, red onion, Dijon dressing

Seafood

• Lemon & Black Pepper Crispy Squid — With Asian slaw and lemon & black pepper aioli

Desserts

• Carrot Cake — Homestyle carrot cake
• Meringue Lemon Tart — Lemon tart topped with meringue
• Croissants — French butter croissants
• Almond Croissants — Croissants filled with almond frangipane
• Chocolatine — French chocolate pastry
• Tarte Tatin — Upside-down caramelised apple tart
• Creme Brulee — Classic burnt custard
• Chocolate Tart — Rich chocolate tart
• Caneles de Bordeaux — Small Bordeaux rum-vanilla custard pastries
• Gluten Free Chocolate Brownie — Fudgey gluten-free brownie

Cafe Style

• Guillaume's Egg Benedict — Two free range poached eggs on homemade rosti with ratatouille and hollandaise; add free range bacon
• Spanish Breakfast — Poached egg, homemade ratatouille, chorizo prosciutto, artisan rosemary sourdough
• Mushrooms on Toast — Creamy mushrooms and parmesan on herb-toasted ciabatta; add free range bacon
• Salmon Bagel — Toasted bagel with cream cheese, salmon, coleslaw, red onion, cherry tomatoes, lemon
• Lucia's Salad — Mesclun, baby spinach, walnut, blue cheese, fresh pear, croutons, caramelised beetroot
• Pain Perdu (French Toast) — Homemade toasted brioche with bacon, banana, cinnamon and maple syrup

Nibbles Menu

• Fried Chicken — Crispy fried chicken bites
• Salt & Pepper Calamari — Calamari squid with salt and pepper
• Poppers Jalapeno & Cream Cheese — Jalapeno poppers with cream cheese
• Cauliflower Bites — Crisp roasted cauliflower bites
• Edamame Beans — Steamed salted edamame
• Meatballs in Ratatouille — Meatballs simmered in homemade ratatouille
• Broccoli & Cheese Bites — Golden broccoli cheese bites
• Macaroni & Cheese Bites — Crispy mac and cheese bites
• Pork Bun Bao — Soft bao bun with pulled pork
• Onion Rings Beer Battered — Beer battered onion rings
• Empanadas — Baked filled pastries
• Rosti Kumara with Chipotle Aioli — Kumara rosti with chipotle aioli
• Wonton Chicken — Chicken wontons
• Samosa Vegetable Curry — Vegetable curry samosas
• Truffle Arancini — Truffle risotto bites with truffle aioli
• Savoury Quiche Selection — By the dozen: mince, mince & cheese, steak & mushroom, tomato & chive, or spinach & feta

Sweet Crepes

• Chocolate Crepe — Classic sweet crepe with chocolate
• Honey Crepe — Sweet crepe drizzled with honey
• Jam Crepe — Sweet crepe with jam
• Lemon & Sugar Crepe — The timeless French classic
• Butter & Sugar Crepe — Simple, buttery and sweet
• Salted Butter Caramel Crepe — Breton-style salted butter caramel
• Mars Crepe — Salted butter caramel and chocolate sauce
• Tatin Crepe — Caramelised apple with salted butter caramel sauce
• Cacahouete Crepe — Salted butter caramel, chocolate sauce and banana
• French Toast Crepe — Banana, bacon and maple syrup

Fries & Sides

• Garlic & Butter Fries — Served with black pepper, lemon & candied garlic aioli
• Kumara Fries — Served with black truffle aioli; vegan option available
• Karaage Fried Chicken — Japanese-style fried chicken with pickles and kewpie mayo
• Arancini - Porcini & Truffle — Truffle risotto bites with mozzarella and mushroom, truffle aioli

Gourmet Burgers

• Venison Burger — Alpine Deer wild venison patty, Edam, red onion compote, black truffle aioli
• Alpine Beef Burger — Homemade beef patty, slaw, Edam, goat & blue cheese, signature sauce, onion & mustard seed compote
• Lemon & Paeroa Pulled Pork Burger — Smoked free range pork belly, tamarillo & plum sauce, caramelised apple, pickled red onions
• Smash Beef Burger — Homemade beef patty, lettuce, cheese, pickles, signature sauce, pickled onion compote
• Smash Chimichurri Burger — Beef patty with chimichurri, avocado, tomato, red onion, salad and signature sauce
• Smash Bacon Burger — Beef patty, free range bacon, Edam, red onion compote, lettuce, signature sauce
• Chicken Burger — Crunchy crumbed chicken breast, pickled ginger, Edam, red onion compote, lettuce, signature sauce
• Karaage Fried Chicken Burger — Free range chicken, pickles, kewpie sriracha mayo, red cabbage
• Vegan Burger — Impossible plant patty, onion & mustard seed compote, pickles, vegan aioli

Private Chef Mains

• Wheke / Octopus or Snapper — Hibachi charred with lemon emulsion, smoked paprika mayo, chorizo & calamari bolognese
• Aged Angus Pure Scotch Fillet — 21-day aged hibachi steak, organic crushed potatoes, walnut butter, smoky Opito Bay salt, black garlic & shiitake
• Lamb Shank — Bordeaux red wine braised, organic dark chocolate & Espelette chilli sauce, squash puree, sticky garlic

Private Chef Entrees

• Braised Brisket — With kawakawa puree, candied garlic and purple carrots
• Grilled Bluff Oysters — Pancetta, brown butter, wakame and parmesan
• Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli — Swiss mushrooms in roasted garlic butter sauce, crushed hazelnuts
• NZ King Salmon Tartare — Aged parmesan, enoki mushrooms, Guerande sea salt, honey & soy cured egg yolk, organic sourdough pain perdu

Private Chef Desserts

• Tiramisu — Classic tiramisu; a wild Kopi Luwak original version is available
• Koati — Manuka honey cloud, whipped Opito Bay gin sea salt & goat cheese mousse, milk crumb; entree or dessert
• La Poire — Pear poached in Bordeaux red wine & rosemary, French butter caramel, roasted nut soil, horopito ice cream
• Tarte au Citron Meringuee — Lemon curd, zesty meringue, lemongrass & coconut crumble, Opito Bay salt vanilla sorbet, citrus aspic
• Creme Brulee — Lime & matcha curd, caramelised pear, brown butter crumb; Spanish Crema Catalana version also available

Frequently asked questions

Where is Urban Flair based?

The cafe is at 248 Main Rd, Kumeu, Kumeū, and the food truck and private chef services travel to events around the Auckland region.

How does the private chef service work?

The chef comes to your home or venue and cooks two, three, four or five course fine dining dinners. He does all the cooking, and you can observe and interact while you focus on your guests.

Are there vegan and dietary-friendly options?

Yes. There is an Impossible vegan burger, vegan tacos with vegan aioli, and a kumara fries vegan option. All private chef menus are customised to your tastes and dietary requirements.

Is any of the meat halal?

Yes — the chicken (Tegel) and the beef mince (Pure South) are halal.

Are gluten-free options available?

Tacos can be served on gluten-free authentic Mexican corn tortillas, and there is a gluten-free chocolate brownie on the dessert menu.

What events can Urban Flair cater?

Weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, private dinners, ladies' lunches, hen's parties and markets, using the transformed horse float food truck, the caravan bar, grazing platters and finger food.

How do I make a booking?

Enquiries can be made by phone on 020 4082 5841 or by email at urban.flair.nz@gmail.com.

Tips

• {"body":"Slow cooking free range pork in Lemon & Paeroa is Urban Flair's signature Kiwi twist — get it as a burger or in tacos.","title":"Try the L&P pulled pork"}
• {"body":"For birthdays or special dinners, the chef will cook a two to five course fine dining menu in your own kitchen — and you are welcome to watch and chat while he cooks.","title":"Book a private chef night in"}
• {"body":"Private chef menus are customised to tastes and dietary requirements; there are also vegan, gluten-free and halal options across the food truck menu.","title":"Mention dietary needs early"}
• {"body":"The transformed horse float food truck and caravan bar can come to weddings, corporate events, birthdays and markets — pair them with the nibbles menu for grazing.","title":"Hiring for an event?"}
• {"body":"From canelés de Bordeaux and croissants to crepes with salted butter caramel, the French dessert side of the menu is worth saving space for.","title":"Leave room for French sweets"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Vegan burger and tacos, gluten-free tortilla option and brownie, halal chicken and beef; menus customisable"}