For those in search of a quality Southern-style chicken dinner, Hamilton East now has Winner Winner. This newly opened eat-in or takeaway restaurant is part of a burgeoning hospitality scene separated from Hamilton Central by the Waikato River. Cross that natural barrier via Anzac Parade and you’ll discover a destination dining precinct that boasts the likes of Hayes Common, Two Birds Eatery and Duck Island Ice Cream.
Husband-and-wife duo Luke and Chrissy Houghton and their friend Anthony Wong opened Winner Winner earlier this year. Popping in during morning prep for a chat, I find the trio’s symbiotic relationship is immediately evident as Chrissy prepares front-of-house for the lunch rush, Anthony manages the stock and Luke cooks.
This experienced hospitality team know their roles and, despite the bustle and the fact I’m standing in their kitchen with a laptop, I feel welcome. And this isn’t just a matter of catching them on a good day; Chrissy says a lot of places seem to have forgotten the meaning of hospitality – the art of making everyone feel welcome. That’s why the menu features vegan options next to spicy fried chicken, and healthy salads next to mac ’n’ cheese balls. Fortunately for its customers, the variety of choices on offer hasn’t come at the expense of quality and every dish has been carefully thought through.
“People have been putting Southern-style chicken on their menus lately because it’s a trend,” Luke says, looking up from his knife work. “But the thought doesn’t always go into the preparation the way it should.” Conveniently illustrating his point, five brined, free-range, rotisserie chickens cook over a wood fire behind him, making loud sizzling noises and emitting a delicious aroma.
Luke previously worked with The Lawrenson Group, which runs numerous restaurants and bars around Hamilton. He was part of a crack team dedicated to setting up new eateries, which equipped him with the knowledge to source quality local ingredients. That set him in great stead for cooking up Winner Winner; all the mains, sauces and salads are original recipes, as are the systems that keep the restaurant running smoothly.
Owners Anthony Wong and Chrissy and Luke Houghton handle the lunch rush.
Anthony is the outfit’s business mind and grew up working in his parents’ Chinese takeaway, Wong’s Kitchen, before taking over and adding a pop-up spot in the city centre. Wong’s is one of Hamilton’s most popular Chinese takeaways but Anthony would never admit it – he’s far too modest. “No one was really marketing Chinese takeaways – well, not like we did. It just took off,” Anthony says. Now he’s delivering those same impressive marketing results for Winner Winner.
Fried chicken sandwich with iceberg, cheese & mac sauce.
At the heart of the business is a dedication to excellence, even if the food’s not what you’re used to. Luke and Chrissy say they’ve given their vegan burger with barbecue pulled jackfruit, tobacco onions, slaw and vegan mayo to meat-eating friends who haven’t noticed the jackfruit wasn’t pulled pork. In addition to the popular vegan burger, cheeseburgers and chicken sandwiches are on offer, as well as a revolving list of specials and loaded fries with five different topping options. The fried chicken is brined in buttermilk for 12 hours before being roasted and served with ranch dressing and pickles, while the signature manuka wood-fired chicken comes with any number of sauces such as porcini butter, sriracha mayo and Kansas City barbecue sauce.
Kitchen gardens are becoming the norm and Winner Winner has its own by way of Anthony’s mum, who was convinced to rip up her flower garden to make way for more vegetables. Sometimes greens are sourced from Anthony’s uncle who grows Chinese-style greens to sell at the markets. In fact, the whole restaurant has been built with the support and encouragement of friends and family. “Almost every part of the interior was made by talented friends,” Luke says. “We knew what we wanted and just have a great network of people who helped us.”
Even Luke and Chrissy’s decision to jump in the deep end and start their own restaurant was the result of pestering by their flatmate to stop talking about it and just go out and do it. Hamilton foodies will be thanking that flatmate, as this talented trio are surely onto a winner.
Story by: Jared Dobbs
Photography by: Rachel Dobbs
Winner Winner
439 Grey Street
Hamilton East
This first appeared in Taste magazine.
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