About Us
Locally sourced. Seasonal flavours.
Here at Embra, we pride ourselves on having a passion for creating dishes that combine French & British cooking techniques with modern Kiwi cuisine.
Embra opened the doors in late January 2022 and what a wonderful road has it been so far! Seating only around 30 guests, we invite our guests to a relaxed dining experience.
We keep our menu changing on a monthly basis while showcasing some of the amazing artisanal produce available here in Aotearoa. We have taken the time to hand-pick the suppliers we work with and take great pride in knowing where our food comes from.
Seasonality and sustainability are important to us. We believe that the freshest ingredients make for the best flavours, so our menu is designed to reflect the seasons down to the month of the year.
Embra was also awarded a two ‘Hat’ rating by the Cuisine Good Food guide in 2023/24.
Our team are exceptionally knowledgeable, talented and friendly. We are down-to-earth and love talking about food and flavour. Learn more about our team below.
Embra is short for ‘Edinburgh’ which is where it all began.
Meet Phill.
A born-and-bred Taupo local with an eye for good food since the beginning.
Phill got his first taste for cooking as a wee lad, starting off helping his mum with baking. He started working in a professional kitchen at the early age of 12, he loved spending his every weekend and school holidays working in a local cafe, and then eventually chose to do his cooking apprenticeship at the Millenium right here in Taupo.
Like many Kiwis, Phill left Taupo for his big O.E., finding himself in Edinburgh and in the hands of an incredible mentor, Chef Dominic Jack at the award-winning Castle Terrace Restaurant. Here, Phill's food journey really took off. Over a course of an 8 year journey, he worked his way up from a Commis Chef to Head Chef. In the midst of this, there was also a 2-year break in New Zealand, where he found himself as the Head Chef at Poronui Lodge. Inspired by his time both in Scotland and at Poronui is Phill's love for all things game.
During his time in Scotland, he happened to meet his now-wife, Nora...
Meet Nora.
Latvian born, Nora spent a significant part of her life in Edinburgh and has had a passion for hospitality since her teens.
Nora got her start in the hospitality industry at the same award-winning Castle Terrace Restaurant. She fell in love with everything about it - the food, the wine, the service, the buzz of back-of-house (and eventually would fall in love with Phill, too).
After a few long years there, Nora worked her way up from a food runner to being the floor manager, before eventually leaving to join the opening team of Southside Scran, a sister restaurant to Castle Terrace.
Then of course, a wee global pandemic happened, and hospitality was hit hard. Sadly, both restaurants they worked at were forced to close, and Phill and Nora (and their new daughter) quite quickly ended up deciding to move back to New Zealand in September 2020. Bringing their love and experience of excellent hospitality home with them, it only felt right to open a place in Phill’s hometown, Taupo.
Our vision of Embra is providing excellent food and laid-back service in an intimate setting. Embra reflects the most significant influences in our lives, from the Scottish inspired name to the outline of the nearby Kaimanawa ranges incorporated in our logo. With the name Kaimanawa itself translating to 'breath for food' we felt it was the perfect location and motif to reflect in our philosophy.
"We are both just so excited to put ourselves and our vision out there & feel so very privileged to be able to contribute to the food scene of Taupo & beyond."
- Phill and Nora Blackburne -
