30th June 2026
A huge congratulations to Henry Onesemo of Tala, who has been awarded a prestigious MICHELIN Star.
This is a powerful and deeply deserved moment for Henry, the Tala team, Pacific cuisine, and Aotearoa New Zealand’s wider food story.
The arrival of The MICHELIN Guide in New Zealand has brought international attention to the chefs and restaurants shaping our dining culture. For Henry and Tala to be recognised with a MICHELIN Star is a landmark achievement.
At Collaborate Management, we are incredibly proud to represent the exceptional skill, creativity and hard-working talent of our clients. Henry’s work is a beautiful example of what happens when craft, culture, memory and ambition come together with absolute conviction.
Henry Onesemo has created something truly distinctive at Tala. His food celebrates Samoan flavour, family, heritage and hospitality, while presenting Pacific cuisine with confidence, elegance and a strong sense of place.
What makes Henry’s work so compelling is that it does not feel like food trying to fit into someone else’s idea of fine dining. It is proudly rooted in identity. It is thoughtful, refined and generous. It tells a story.
That matters.
A MICHELIN Star is one of the most recognised distinctions in the restaurant world, but this achievement feels bigger than a single award. It gives visibility to food stories that have always been rich, layered and deeply meaningful, but have not always received the same international attention within traditional fine dining spaces.
Henry’s success is a reminder that excellence can come from memory, culture, fire, family and lived experience. It can be technically strong and emotionally rich. It can be globally recognised while still being proudly connected to home.
For Tala, this MICHELIN Star is a celebration of vision, discipline, storytelling and mana.
For Aotearoa New Zealand, it is a moment of pride.
For Pacific food culture, it is a moment of visibility.
And for Collaborate, it is a privilege to represent talent whose creativity, skill and hard work help move the conversation forward.
Congratulations Henry and Tala. An extraordinary achievement, and one worth celebrating loudly.
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