Jan Bilton

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Recipes for success from best selling, multi award-winning cookbook author and syndicated newspaper columnist,

Let me share with you the pleasures and experience gained through a lifetime of working in the world of food. Author of 27 cookbooks, including the best-selling New Zealand Kiwifruit Cookbook (140,000 copies sold internationally) and Marlborough on the Menu (winner of Le Cordon Bleu World Food Media Awards for Best Food/Wine Guide); food and lifestyle magazine editor (Living Today, The Foodtown Magazine); syndicated columnist, travel writer, restaurant owner — and home cook.

My Mantra is: Real Food for Real People. Please join me for a taste.

Recipes, Wines and Restaurants

EASTER ENTERTAINERS

April 2nd 2026Around the world, Easter is a time when traditional treats take pride of place on the menu. Dried fruits and nuts feature in numerous Easter bakes. Hot Cross Buns, generally considered an EnglishRead more

Hello Agaricus Bisporus

March 10th 2026There's not 'mushroom' for argument when is comes to the popularity of this fungi. Read more

LARGELY LENTILS

March 9th 2026Lentils are a nutritious versatile food. A key ingredient in soups, salads, sides, casseroles and savoury bakes, they’re ridiculously cheap and can be stored in airtight containers for months.Read more

BAKES YULE LOVE

December 9th 2025The festive fruitcake as we know it today dates back to the Middle Ages. In the 13th century, dried fruits were transported to Britain from the eastern Mediterranean. As a result, breads became lightRead more

SAVOUR THE SIZZLE

October 30th 2025My favourite animal is steak,’ quipped American writer Fran Lebowitz. And yes, there’s nothing quite like a perfectly grilled beef steak. It’s ‘feel good’ food and it can be dressed upRead more

Potato Salad on Sticks

October 30th 20251kg small waxy (boiling) potatoes Vinaigrette: 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Topping: 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed 2 tablespoonsRead more

CHINESE DELIGHTS

September 9th 2025Our three-plus week stint in China was primarily to experience the history and culture and enjoy the stunning scenery. But I was also keen to discover if there had been any distinct changes to theRead more

WOK WIZARDRY

August 29th 2025Woks are versatile. Their use is not just limited to stir-frying. You can steam, smoke, braise or simmer, deep or shallow fry. The wok’s shape was originally dictated by the Chinese hob that hadRead more

CRISP AND DELICIOUS

June 23rd 2025I had resisted buying an air fryer even though several friends were swearing these cookers were the best thing since sliced bread. I gave in because I was asked to write an opinion piece. And I fell Read more

Question: WHO WAS MARLBOROUGH’S FIRST WINEMAKER?

June 23rd 2025 Read more

A+ FOR AVOCADOS

May 6th 2025According to my son, there’s not a meal in the house if there isn’t an avocado in the fruit bowl. And he was delighted to discover a new variety, the AvoGrey®, twice the size of a Hass.Read more

FAB FEIJOA CAKE

April 2nd 2025 Read more

Irvine Holt

RECIPE COLLECTION

Enjoy the online recipe library. Recipes and photos by food writer Jan Bilton.

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COOKBOOKS

Marlborough on the Menu. Winner Le Cordon Bleu World Food Media Award for Best Food/Wine Guide. Celebrate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Jan Bilton's Tamarillo Cookbook. NZ Kiwifruit Cookbook. Over 140 sold.

CONTACT IRVINE HOLT

Jan Bilton
+64 21 627 771

janbilton@irvineholt.co.nz
irvineholt@gmail.com