Nocturnalists: Helen Emett on why a late-night burger always hits the spot

The Nocturnalists series shines a light on Auckland after dark. Restaurateurs and chefs, comedians and creatives, performers and punters – Nocturnalists are spirited members of Auckland’s nighttime scene. In this series, they take us on a tour of their favourite spots and all this city has to offer after 5pm. In this instalment, we talk to Helen Emett, co-founder of CBD hotspots Gilt, Onslow and Lottie’s.

Photos by Sophie Miya-Smith shot on location at Gilt and The White Lady.

Restaurateur Helen Emett has built a stable of high-calibre restaurants alongside husband Josh. Ask an in-the-know Aucklander (especially one of our Nocturnalists) where to go for a special occasion and there’s a good chance they’ll say Gilt. There you’ll find Helen Emett, looking poised and stylish as she manages the popular all-day eatery on Chancery St. Though she’s often there well into the night, that doesn’t stop her appetite for discovering the city – and all it has to offer – after dark. A woman of wide-ranging tastes, we asked her where to go for a swanky dinner and the best late-night burger.

Helen, Gilt’s very popular, including with our Nocturnalists. How’s the business going?

Great! Gilt’s doing really well. It's kind of always been what we hoped it would be. It’s a high-energy brasserie, which is what we set out to achieve. So that's a good feeling.

It’s quite a different vibe at night, compared to daytime.

When the lights go down, it feels a little bit more sensual.

What draws people to Gilt?

It's just something that we don't have in New Zealand. I feel like it does give off that international vibe. The inspiration was the European brasseries in New York that [Josh Emett and I] used to dine in when we first met.

What's the most popular dish on the menu?

When it's tomato season, tomato schnitzel. The 'nduja prawns are also really popular. And the crab linguine.

What's your favourite thing on the menu?

The chicken piccata... It’s a New York-Italian dish. It would be in all the Italian brasseries in New York. It's literally just pan-fried chicken with a lemon butter sauce with sage and capers. I just love it.

What about after work, where are your regular haunts? 

It depends on what we've done during the day, because “night” might be anything from seven or eight through to midnight. We tend to stay on our corner, but we do try to discover new areas. So it could be K’ Road, or it could be Hugo’s Bistro on Shortland St – we love an early dinner there. We love Ken Yakitori, it’s just around the corner.

Anywhere else you can recommend?

Tucked away near the Auckland Art Gallery is Scarecrow – it's a great cafe by day and is now open for some nights. We took the kids there because we thought that would be fun, and we love supporting local businesses. For us, it's really important to be seen to dine out, because that's what we should all be doing.

You’re quite a well-known couple, do people see you and think, ‘oh the Emetts are dining there, it must be good’ and does that have a flow-on effect for a business?

You do get that sense… and often it's the places that you wouldn't expect, like a yum cha restaurant. We tend to love those more casual spots, so you do see people's eyes light up.

I hear you’re a fan of The White Lady?

When we first opened both restaurants, Onslow and Gilt, we would get through to the end of the day, and that might be 10 or 11 o'clock, and we hadn't had dinner – we were starving. That happens a lot in hospitality, especially restaurants, because you’re so busy serving food that you haven’t had time to stop. And so Josh and I would go and quickly have a burger at The White Lady. And I tell you what, I don't know whether it's just about being hungry, but you're so grateful for that burger. They are pretty good, you know. I think they're high quality. And they’re fast and efficient.

They are!

Josh and I always look at those places and stand and watch their processes, because we really are fascinated. [These are] high-volume, high-speed businesses and we actually have a huge amount of respect for fast food. To get burgers that taste great out consistently isn’t easy.

I also like that you never know who you're going to see at The White Lady. Its patrons are very eclectic.

I have to admit that Josh would stay in the car…the story’s out now!

Other than The White Lady, where else in Auckland draws an interesting crowd?

The Viaduct is incredible. It’s a magnet for tourists… So the people-watching there is pretty good.

And people seem to put in a bit of effort.

Exactly, they're dressed up. I like people to get dressed up. I love it when people come into our restaurants and they've dressed up for the evening. Again, that's what I think we should be doing.

Where would you go for a really swanky, glamorous night out?

Swanky and glamorous? I did dine recently at Onslow, but I probably shouldn’t mention my own restaurant...

Go for it!

OK, there's something about Onslow – when you walk through that entrance to the door of the restaurant, it feels like a moment when you want to be wearing a dress and a heel, and be dropped off at the door. People go there to celebrate, and I dress up for my own restaurant.

Speaking of which, where would you go for a last-minute outfit?

Commercial Bay is where I’d head – but on my way there, my fave is Fabric. I love Zambesi, I love Juliette Hogan, and I’ve always been a fan of Storm. There’s also Superette. And [in City Works Depot] Harris Tapper.

What about a drink? What’s your drink of choice and who makes it best?

My favourite cocktail of the moment is the rhubarb margarita. We introduced it at Gilt for Fashion Week and it was so good we’ve kept it on the menu. It’s made by Justin, and our whole bar team is stupendous.

Do you have a favourite “famous-in-Auckland” dish?

The Depot snapper slider with lemon mayo In fact, I love everything at Depot.

Best place to go for a first date and why?

Queens Rooftop is a great first-date spot. The views give you something to look at while you’re both still feeling a little shy!

Best place to go for a debrief and why?

I think Lottie’s will become that spot. It’s tucked away on the first floor, hidden out of sight, which makes it perfect for a proper debrief.

You’re from the UK, where would you take family or friends visiting Auckland for a good night out?

Britomart – Amano’s got great energy and I love Alma… I also really love St Kevins Arcade on K Road. They're the pockets that you sometimes don't see. And you know, you go to Paris and there's so many beautiful arcades like that, and in London, but I’m proud of what we're becoming. [Also on K Road] is one of my favourite spots, Apéro. I would say it's our most visited restaurant.

All the hospo people we’ve spoken to love Apéro. What makes it so good?

It's just delicious food, it's very simple. I never have to choose the wine because Mo [Koski, co-owner] always just knows what I want – he just comes up and asks which direction I'm going in, and then he'll just keep bringing out different glasses of gorgeous wine. I just love the way Leslie [Hottiaux, chef/co-owner] cooks. I also just love the simplicity of their food. It's our celebration restaurant, so we celebrate a lot of birthdays there and it's consistently good.

OK, describe your dream night out in central Auckland.

I’d walk from one of our restaurants to Hello Beasty for dinner, then keep walking and finish with cocktails at Kemuri Hi-Fi. I love a night where you can walk between places.

Where do you like to go for an after-dinner walk?

I love Britomart. Let’s say I was going from the Viaduct back to Gilt, I would choose to weave through the Britomart area… and I do love that little area around the back of The Hotel Britomart, I think that's done really, really beautifully. And on the side of Mr Morris you’ve got Shane Cotton’s Maunga mural. I love it when the city has taken time to dress up an area and make the buildings part of the experience. 

Me too. And people. Who in the city’s hospo scene are you close with?

The team at Hugo’s Bistro, we spend a lot of time there and they'll always accommodate us. They're the people we've got huge respect for – the service is always great and the menu is always delicious. We love our neighbours, Danny [Denith] from Panacea, the team at Ground Wine Bar and Cahn's Wines and Spirits on O'Connell St. And then we've got the chocolate shop [Cocoa Wilds] next door, we do lots of collaborations with Byron [McLean] there.

We love supporting the businesses in the area. We'll always do staff gifts from Unity Books and often get lovely room sprays from Aesop. Oh and I love Sumthin’ Dumplin’, [Shane Liu] is fabulous. I love the innovation and the family connections there.

We spoke to Shane for this series and the feeling’s mutual. He’s a big fan of Gilt, and The White Lady is his go-to cheap eat as well. I have to say, I absolutely love that you and Josh are burger fans and respect the art of that dish so much.

I thought about it long and hard, and my ultimate late night eat is [a burger]. Because it could be 10pm, 11pm, 12am, 1am, 2am and they’re always there and it’s delicious. 

Some people say nothing happens in Auckland at night. What do you say to that?

I think if you venture into the Auckland CBD, you go, why don’t I do this more often? There is definitely a nightlife and an energy here… We finish work late quite often, and when we're in the city during these late nights you do see things you're excited by – there is a nightlife, and I think we just need to encourage people to experience it.

What do you love about Auckland city centre after dark?

I love the fact that there's little pockets off the main areas, like the laneways. That’s what I like, discovering different corners of the city. You can take a shortcut and discover a place you didn't even know existed. 

This content was created in paid partnership with Auckland by Night. Ready to become a Nocturnalist? Head to Discover Auckland to find out what that the Auckland city centre has to offer after 5pm.