Our Story

Origine is a Kiwi-styled bistro and sister restaurant to Ahi, offering a range of New Zealand classics crafted by Chef Ben Bayly. Located in the heart of downtown at Auckland’s newest shopping and dining precinct, Commercial Bay, Origine boasts breathtaking views of the Waitemata, Harbour Bridge, and the heritage-listed Auckland Ferry Building.

Our award-winning space includes an events area, bar, and bistro, making it the perfect venue for any occasion. Driven by our organic kitchen garden, Origine’s menu reflects our passion for the finest local produce and our love for New Zealand cuisine.

Origine is the birthplace of Ahi and the inspiration behind Chef Ben Bayly’s TV show, A New Zealand Food Story. In the show, he travels across the country to explore our culinary origins, understand where our food comes from, and discover how it defines New Zealand cuisine.

Open for lunch, dinner, events, and drinks seven days a week, Origine is located on Level 2 of Commercial Bay, right in the heart of downtown Auckland.

BEN BAYLY

Born and raised in the farming community of Te Awamutu in the Waikato, it was here that Ben Bayly fell in love with food. Ben embarked on almost a decade of culinary discovery, working at famed restaurants and hotels with world class chefs across the globe, honing his chef career in France, Italy and the United Kingdom before returning to New Zealand.

Ben is highly regarded in the industry in New Zealand with a lengthy history of accolades reflective of his quality and passion for New Zealand’s food culture and equal passion for harnessing and cultivating talent amongst his teams. He is proud to be named as the NIWA- Haku Kingfish Champion for Change for 2023 in the Cuisine Good Food Awards 23/24.In Auckland, Ben offers three very different dining options, from his flagship New Zealand focused restaurant – Ahi (translates literally from Te Reo Māori to mean Fire) in downtown Auckland to French inspired bistro, Origine, also in downtown Auckland.

Further down the country in the South Island, in stunning Arrowtown you will find the modern Italian AOSTA, its family friendly sibling, Little Aosta, the rustic hidden gem, Blue Door Bar and Queenstown’s jewel in the crown, the historic Bathhouse on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.

In addition to the restaurant ventures, and a passion project of Ben’s, the talented team at Ahi Organic Gardens in South Auckland grow and harvest the best seasonal produce to supply to the Auckland restaurants.

Ben’s food documentary show ‘A New Zealand Food Story’ is screened in over 80 countries worldwide. Ben travels the length of the country to meet Aotearoa’s finest farmers, growers, hunters, divers, fishers and foodies, in search of the question “what is New Zealand food?” and in the process seeking inspiration for his award-winning Auckland restaurant, Ahi.

Ben lives in West Auckland with his wife Cara, children Mila, Bowie and Ella, one cat, three dogs and seven chickens.