Jesse Mulligan Restaurant Review: Havelock North's Mijita Serves The Best Guacamole In NZ
Havelock North can feel like a quiet and conservative town (I drove through around election time and saw nothing but blue corflutes) but the dining scene has always been pretty excellent, so long as you don't
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NZ Herald
10-06-2025
- NZ Herald
Jesse Mulligan Restaurant Review: Havelock North's Mijita Serves The Best Guacamole In NZ
Jesse Mulligan finds a Hawke's Bay Latin American restaurant to write home about. Havelock North can feel like a quiet and conservative town (I drove through around election time and saw nothing but blue corflutes) but the dining scene has always been pretty excellent, so long as you don't
Otago Daily Times
19-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Cheese rolls for RNZ's Dunedin visit
RNZ presenter Jesse Mulligan (right) talks to Highlander Jona Nareki at the isite visitor centre in the Octagon yesterday. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH This was not your ordinary radio studio. But for RNZ's Afternoons presenter Jesse Mulligan, hosting yesterday's show in the Dunedin isite was an opportunity to right a wrong. The presenter made headlines earlier this month when trying to call the Dunedin isite as part of a weekly segment when he randomly calls an information centre around New Zealand with the goal of learning more about the town or city in question. When he attempted to call Dunedin, the lines were occupied. So why not bring the show to the isite? Mr Mulligan told the Otago Daily Times yesterday it was "entirely" his idea to host it at the Dunedin isite, and he did not worry too much about the logistics. "I was horrified by the idea that anyone might have got in trouble or felt at all guilty or bad about just doing their job, which is really what happened when I called for the first time. "So it was easy for us to decide to come down here and show Dunedin a bit of love." Mr Mulligan hosted a special all-Dunedin themed show, talking to sportsmen, musicians, business and conservation leaders from the city. "It was actually pretty seamless, but I'm a radio presenter, so everything's always seamless for me. "I just show up and all the hard work is being done, I'm embarrassed to say." Interview subjects included The NZ Brush Company owner Hadleigh McPherson, Super Rugby Highlanders co-captain Hugh Renton, Dunedin reviewer and broadcaster Pat Brittenden and the Wildlife Hospital Trust manager Jordana Whyte. "Dunedin's got a really strong brand, and everyone knows what it's all about. So, I'm not an expert on marketing, but today I've seen the Dunedin that I've been promised, which is beautiful and kind and cultural and interesting." It also included him savouring culinary delights such as Patti's & Cream's special clam-and-tomato flavoured ice cream, and cheese rolls. Mr Mulligan, who also moonlights as a food reviewer, preferred the latter. "I talked about cheese rolls a lot, as you do as an Aucklander who hosts a TV and a radio show. "You know, we're always chatting about cheese rolls, but actually I don't believe that I've ever tried one before, so that made me pretty happy." Mr Mulligan said he would happily host the show in Dunedin again if he had the chance. "Of course, we're a national taxpayer-funded radio station, so we can't be shown to be playing favourites towards Dunedin, but any chance I get, I come down. "I was invited to host the New Year's celebrations in the Octagon, and I really enjoyed doing that."
Otago Daily Times
12-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Mulligan bringing show to city after cold call
Jesse Mulligan. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON After failing to grab the spotlight, Dunedin's isite will be centre stage when a national radio show comes to town. RNZ's Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan will broadcast from the city's visitor information centre next week, the host revealed on air yesterday. Host Jesse Mulligan called the city's visitor information centre last week as part of a weekly segment when he randomly calls an information centre around New Zealand with the goal of learning more about the town or city in question. However, when it was Dunedin's turn to take the cold call, Mr Mulligan was stymied. He said he was "looking for some help with some local attractions" and when he was told the isite was busy, he decided to call Whangārei instead. The reaction on social media was not positive. Failing to take the call was seen as a missed opportunity to promote the city to a national audience. Some said it was embarrassing Mr Mulligan had been "stymied by bureaucracy". "He won't be the only one who got the runaround," one said. Yesterday, on his show, Mr Mulligan said he was "fine" with the way the call was handled. "No-one's obligated to talk to me in the afternoon. "Everyone's got better things to do, people are busy — I had no problem with it. "But the Otago Daily Times ran a story saying it was a giant missed opportunity for Dunedin. "I felt very bad about the people who'd been on the phone with me, feeling any sense of guilt about not putting me through, getting flack. "So, we want to try and start a bit of a healing process with Dunedin." "After some intense negotiations with Dunedin stakeholders", the entire show would be broadcast live from the Dunedin isite next Monday. "Finally, Dunedin will get its time in the sun. "My thanks to our team of producers behind the scenes who have organised for that to happen." This time there would be plenty of opportunities for visitor information staff to talk up attractions and other opportunities for visitors. "Also, I've just checked the price of flights from Auckland to Dunedin, and I'm announcing this now before management have a chance to backtrack once they've seen how much it's going to cost," he said. — APL
