50-50

Located in the heart of the township of Paraparaumu Beach on the Kāpiti Coast, 50-50 is a destination restaurant that offers a dining experience not to be missed. The dimly lit and sophisticatedly decorated space is the perfect setting to showcase owner-operator chef Helen Turnbull’s culinary vision. Choose from a six- or nine-course menu with a beverage match for each course, watch the chef at work in the open kitchen and sit back and enjoy the ride. 

Every month, the menu gets a total revamp with seasons and availability of produce at the heart of each new design. Helen is a keen gardener and grows a lot of the produce she uses in the kitchen at her property. When designing a new menu, she considers the weather and what people feel like eating at different times of the year. In the autumn, you might come across items such as walnuts, feijoas, quince and pumpkin on the menu, but they won’t be served in the way you might expect  – there will always be a surprise element to everything Helen creates, which is part of the fun of dining at 50-50.   

The team behind the restaurant and the community it’s part of are of utmost importance to Helen. Even the name of the restaurant reflects her vision and the emphasis on teamwork; it comes from the belief that a dining experience is made up of fifty per cent front-of-house and fifty percent back-of-house – it’s all about working well together to deliver the best experience for the customer. In a male-dominated field, Helen is also passionate about celebrating other females in the industry; the team at 50-50 is mostly female, and the majority of the wines served are by local wahine winemakers. 

Whether you happen to find yourself on the Kāpiti Coast or are keen to travel for a special culinary experience, 50-50 is a restaurant to book into. The food is unique, wholeheartedly created and full of flavours you’re unlikely to have come across before.