TGFC Producer Spotlight

Meet Danielle from Tartan Sari

When Danielle moved to New Zealand she found herself missing home. This led to Danielle cooking her mother’s treasured Goan recipes to recreate the flavours of home. What started as comfort cooking soon became a revival of her parents' London-based pickle business—and a proud new chapter in Dunedin. These days Tartan Sari are the creators of award-winning pickles, chutneys, and curry pastes who you may have even heard about on Radio New Zealand. Read on to find out more about Danielle's story. 

TGFC/ How did you get started?

Danielle/Living in NZ and craving the tastes of home, I began cooking the recipes passed down from my mother’s family. I gained immense joy recreating these recipes and was inspired to continue the pickle business my parents, Louisa and Ron, began in London over 30 years ago. The sharing of these traditional flavours gives me a strong sense of reconnection with my ancestors and invokes fond childhood memories enjoying meals with my family and the local Goan community.

TGFC/ What makes Tartan Sari special?
Danielle/ The recipes we use have been passed down from generation to generation. The main difference is that I only use NZ grown fruit and vegetables, like zucchini, feijoa and apricot, and has reduced salt and sugar levels without compromising on flavour. Everything is handmade seasonally by me. All the products are authentically spicy – I haven’t reduced levels to appease the kiwi palate!

TGFC/ Do you have a favourite creation?
Danielle/Definitely the Spicy Tomato Pickle. It’s the first recipe I begged mum for after moving to NZ and the reason I decided to carry on the family business over here. It was a very proud moment when it won a Gold Medal at the Outstanding Food Producer Awards last year. I eat it most days, my favourite is on cheese and crackers or poached eggs but it is also great stirred through pasta meals and on pizza bases too.

TGFC/What is your most popular product?

Danielle/Probably the Spicy Tomato and Spicy Zucchini pickles. We have a stall at the Otago Farmers Market and they are the top two sellers.

TGFC/ Have you won any awards for your creation?
Danielle/ We've been lucky to win a few awards over the years. This includes

• 2022 Silver - Zucchini Pickle
• 2023 Silver – Carrot Pickle and Rechard Masala Curry Paste
• 2024 Gold – Tomato Pickle
• 2024 Bronze – Apricot Chutney
• NZ Artisan Awards - 2024 Bronze – Apricot Chutney
• Cuisine Artisan Food Awards - 2024 Finalist – Rechard Masala

TGFC/Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Danielle/All our products are seasonal, apart from the curry pastes and the carrot pickle but I bulk make each flavour. Summer is the busiest cooking time with Tomatoes, Zucchini and Apricots!

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