At the Taste of Auckland event in 2018 a dish of Ruakaka kingfish tartare, created by chef Cameron Knox of Mount Eden eatery Xoong, received the Best in Taste award.

Last year he followed that with a silver award in the Best Dish category.

Cameron is effusive about the product, saying its rich creaminess is something not present in wild kingfish.

“It’s incredibly versatile – you can serve it as sashimi, roast it, poach it, whatever you like. It’s super sweet with flavour, but maintains its delicacy. In my opinion, it’s the best fish in the country, hands down.”