Charlotte Cook leaning on a bench and smiling. Beside her is a stack of cookbooks and a bowl of tomatoes.

White text reads, "Grilled, with Charlotte Cook".

12m

The leaders of ACT, the Greens, Labour, and National face Midday Report’s Charlotte Cook, who grills them over policies, technique in the kitchen, and how they got into politics.

Produced by RNZ

Series details.

Credits

Charlotte Cook
Presenter, Director, & Producer
Angus Dreaver & Sam Rilstone
Camera Operators & Editors

Instead of the usual campaign diet of sausage rolls, lollies, and caffeine, in this web series our top four polling parties put their leaders on the chopping block in the kitchen.

The leaders of Act, the Greens, Labour, and National faced Midday Report’s Charlotte Cook, who grilled them over policies, technique in the kitchen, and how they got into politics.

Each party got to pick a meal of their choice. Some made bolder decisions than others, but all provided the perfect way to see who could be leading your country, from the comfort of a kitchen.

Watch the series to find out if they could handle the heat, who tried to serve raw chicken, and if knives came out.

Te Pāti Māori and NZ First declined to take part in the series.

Get in touch

More like this

  • Geoffrey Palmer

    Guyon Espiner talks to five former NZ Prime Ministers, starting with reforming lawmaker Sir Geoffrey Palmer, who became our 33rd PM in 1989.
    The 9th Floor/Episode 1
    60m
  • Amanda Gillies | An Angel in Te Kuiti

    Amanda Gillies was on the way to an interview when she got a call confirming Newshub’s closure. Despite the shock, she continued on – and in the telling of a brave Te Kūiti amputee’s story was reminded what had first drawn her to journalism.
    re_covering/Season 5/Episode 6
    49m
  • Metiria Turei

    Did Metiria Turei mean to turn the 2017 election on its head? Earlier that year, the former Green Party co-leader made an admission that would upend their entire campaign.
    Matangireia/Season 1/Episode 1
    45m
  • Tāmaki-Makau-Rua: Peeni Henare and Oriini Kaipara on the battle for Tāmaki Makaurau

    As voters head to the poll for the Tāmaki Makaurau byelection, Labour’s Peeni Henare and Te Pāti Māori’s Oriini Kaipara join Mihingārangi to discuss the issues facing whānau in the biggest Polynesian city in the world. From housing to health to te reo Māori, he wānanga kei te haere.
    MATA with Mihingarangi Forbes /Season 3/Episode 16
    27m
  • Chelsea Winstanley: Overcoming trauma and coming out on top

    Oscar-nominated film producer Chelsea Winstanley talks to Anika about overcoming trauma, taking risks, and coming out on top.
    It's Personal with Anika Moa/Season 1/Episode 1
    47m
  • Kenneth Roth

    Do Israel’s actions amount to genocide? Kenneth Roth has spent decades documenting human rights violations. He explains how genocide is defined—and whether it’s happening in Gaza. Plus, is Trump's power on the wane?
    30 with Guyon Espiner/Season 3/Episode 13
    32m