Kingsford Kitchen

About Kingsford Kitchen

Kingsford Kitchen is a multi-faceted culinary operation located on Kingsford Smith Drive, bringing together a vibrant daytime café, bespoke event catering, and commercial food manufacturing under one roof. Led by Executive Chef Mike Maguire and a dedicated kitchen team, the kitchen emphasises fresh, locally sourced ingredients prepared with international flair.

Whether stopping by for a morning coffee and made-to-order brunch or picking up Fitfood meals, visitors find a warm and welcoming community space. Alongside its dine-in café service, Kingsford Kitchen operates an MPI-certified commercial kitchen complete with modern packaging facilities, providing extensive catering across Canterbury for morning teas, corporate lunches, and evening functions.

Fresh Flavours and Large-Scale Craft at Kingsford Kitchen

Situated on Kingsford Smith Drive, Kingsford Kitchen has grown into a cornerstone for fresh daytime fare, dependable event catering, and specialized food manufacturing in the Canterbury region. The business balances the warmth of a neighbourhood café with the high production capabilities of an MPI-certified commercial kitchen, offering visitors everything from casual weekday lunches to extensive catered spreads.

At the core of the operation is a commitment to using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Whether preparing a simple brunch plate or packaging meals for distribution across New Zealand, the culinary team focuses on crafting dishes that are nutritious, flavourful, and made to order.

Hearty Café Favourites and Made-to-Order Brunches

The café serves as an easygoing meeting spot for local workers, residents, and visitors dropping by for morning coffee or picking up pre-ordered Fitfood meals. Operating Monday through Friday, the kitchen puts out an accessible daytime menu available from 8:00 am until 2:00 pm.

Brunch regulars gravitate toward classic comforts like fluffy waffles topped with bacon, banana, and cinnamon butter, as well as house-made granola layered with berry compote and Greek yoghurt. The savoury lunch dishes feature substantial choices such as the Philly cheese steak sandwich loaded with capsicum and spring onions, a stacked fried chicken burger with crisp slaw and bacon, and seasoned loaded fries smothered in meat, gravy, and pickled onions.

Professional Catering and Culinary Production

Beyond the café counters, Kingsford Kitchen operates as a full-service catering and contract food manufacturing provider. Managed by Executive Chef Mike Maguire, whose culinary career spans running commercial kitchens worldwide, the kitchen brings global technique and consistency to events of all sizes.

The catering division supplies workplaces, family celebrations, and large events across the area. Their menus range from bite-sized breakfast sliders and savoury filled mini croissants to gourmet mini pies featuring braised beef or creamed spinach and gruyere. For larger gatherings, the kitchen provides hot meal packages including slow-cooked BBQ cola ribs, marinated New Zealand lamb shoulder, and Texas-style boneless chicken, complemented by fresh seasonal salads and baked slices.

Signature items

• Fried Chicken Burger
• Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich
• Waffles with Bacon & Banana
• Loaded Fries
• House-Made Granola
• Gourmet Mini Pies & Sausage Rolls

Menu

Main Menu

• Eggs on toast — GFA. Your choice of poached or fried eggs, served on toasted ciabatta. Optional hashbrowns or streaky bacon.
• Waffles — Served with banana and bacon, finished with cinnamon butter and maple syrup.
• House-Made Granola — Served with berry compote, Greek yoghurt, and milk. Dairy-free available.
• Fried Chicken Burger — Fried chicken, coleslaw, bacon, cheese, and aioli. Served with fries.
• Beef Nachos — GF. Topped with cheese and sour cream.
• Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich — GFA. With capsicum and spring onion, served with fries.
• Loaded Fries — Topped with meat, gravy, cheese, and pickled onions.
• Bowl of Fries — Served with aioli and tomato sauce.

Catering - Lunch

• Spinach, Mushroom and Cheese Mini Pies — Creamed spinach, field mushroom, and gruyere mini pies.
• Braised Beef Mini Pies — Braised beef mini pies served with tomato relish.
• Chicken and Leek Mini Pies — Chicken, leek, and tarragon mini pies with tomato relish.
• Pork and Apple Mini Sausage Rolls — Free-range pork and apple mini sausage rolls with American mustard mayo.
• Fried Chicken Sliders — Sliders with fried chicken, classic slaw, and vegan aioli.
• Mixed Sandwiches & Wraps — An assortment of freshly prepared sandwiches and wraps.
• Chicken, Almond and Chilli Sausage Rolls — Chicken, almond, and chilli mini sausage rolls served with kewpie mayo.

Catering - Breakfast

• Granola pots — df gf v. Freshly baked, lightly toasted granola with maple, coconut and cranberries, served with vanilla coconut yoghurt.
• Breakfast Sliders — Choice of flavours including prosciutto L&T; bacon, cheese and pesto; chorizo and salsa; halloumi and hummus; or smoked salmon.
• Mini Filled Croissant — Selection of fillings such as smoked salmon and dill, ham and pickles, pastrami and sauerkraut, or Nutella.
• Brekkie Wrap — Bacon, fried free-range egg, cheese, tomato relish, and smoky mayo in a wrap. Gluten-free available on request.

Catering - Chef Range Hot Meals

• Buffalo Chicken Nibbles — Catering-style hot meal portion of tender buffalo chicken nibbles.
• Honey Soy Chicken Nibbles — Glazed honey soy chicken nibbles served for groups.
• BBQ Cola Ribs — Slow-cooked ribs basted in a rich BBQ cola sauce.
• Korean BBQ Ribs — Flavourful ribs glazed in sweet and savoury Korean BBQ sauce.
• NZ Marinated Lamb Shoulder — Tender marinated New Zealand lamb shoulder.
• Souvlaki Lamb — Mediterranean-seasoned souvlaki lamb cuts.
• Asian Marinated Boneless Chicken — Boneless chicken marinated with Asian-inspired spices and sauces.
• Texas Boneless Chicken — Hearty Texas-style seasoned boneless chicken.

Catering - Morning And Afternoon Tea

• Morning & Afternoon Tea Platters — Options including mini muffins, banana bread, gingerbread loaf, chocolate chip cookies, scones, cheesecakes, and GF brownies.

Frequently asked questions

What are Kingsford Kitchen's café operating hours?

The café is open Monday to Friday from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm, with the main menu available from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. It is closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

Can dietary requirements and allergies be accommodated?

Yes. The kitchen offers gluten-free (GF), gluten-free available (GFA), dairy-free (DF), and vegan options across both the café and catering menus. Please notify staff of any dietary needs when ordering.

What types of catering services are available?

Kingsford Kitchen provides catering for events of all sizes, including breakfast platters, sliders, mini pies, finger food, seasonal salads, hot meal buffets, and morning or afternoon tea.

Can I collect Fitfood meals from the café?

Yes, the café serves as a pick-up spot for Fitfood meals.

Does Kingsford Kitchen offer commercial food manufacturing?

Yes. The business operates a fully licensed, MPI-certified commercial kitchen with on-site packaging machinery, providing contract manufacturing and distribution for nationwide brands.

Tips

• {"body":"The café opens at 7:30 am for coffee, but the cooked main menu runs specifically between 8:00 am and 2:00 pm.","title":"Weekday Kitchen Timing"}
• {"body":"If you order Fitfood meals, you can conveniently collect your packs directly from the café counter during weekday opening hours.","title":"Fitfood Pickups"}
• {"body":"For group catering orders, note that items like mini pies, sliders, and wraps require minimum order quantities (typically 5 to 10 pieces per selection).","title":"Planning Event Catering"}

Good to know

• {"dietary":"Gluten-free, gluten-free available, dairy-free, and vegan options available across menus."}