Cameron Davies

  • Branch President, Committee Nominees
  • Southland Branch President | Nominee - Committee Representative 2026/2027

Cameron Davies is the executive chef and co-owner of The Fat Duck in Te Anau, a restaurant he and his partner Selina have built from scratch since returning to New Zealand in 2015. Away from the kitchen, he's kept honest by their two boys, Eli (10) and Ollie (5).

With over 25 years in hospitality, Cameron's love of the industry started at age 10, inspired by his mum and nana's passion for food. That passion took him from Christchurch Polytechnic to Harvey Nichols in London and the kitchen of a private superyacht travelling the world, and it hasn't dimmed for a moment. Cameron loves this industry, all of it, unreservedly.

As Southland Branch President he has focused on what matters most at branch level: getting operators together, improving engagement, and making sure members feel genuinely supported.

As an owner-operator running a small independent business, Cameron understands first-hand the realities facing the majority of HNZ members, the daily pressures, the tight margins, and what it actually takes to build something sustainable in a rural, tourism-dependent community. That practical, grounded perspective is what he brings to the national committee.

His goal is straightforward: an industry where good businesses can sustain themselves, their people can thrive, and the communities they serve are stronger for it.