Tena koe is the Maori greeting one person gives another, and it literally means “be well and healthy.” Maori food or kai is prepared using a combination of ingredients from the land and the sea, deliciously continuing practical cultural traditions.— By John Jacobs

New Zealand’s indigenous Maori have a culture that seamlessly blends the sacred with the practical. This also applies to food (kai) and how it is served. The word tapu refers to things considered special and sacred, while noa indicates something safe and ordinary.

The sacred and the ordinary must not mix, and serving food is no exception. The traditional food tray must be carefully managed ....