“It's more than just having food in restaurants it's about a way of life and value of our planting, our farming, our fishing as part of the story of our food.”

Rangi Mitaera-Johnson brings 25 years of experience in Cook Islands kitchens to her role as Vice Chairperson, with cultural heritage at the heart of her cooking. She builds her menus around local, seasonal produce sourced from local farmers and fishers, including pearl meat from her own family's farm, treating traditional ingredients and techniques as a living link to Cook Islands identity rather than a novelty. Her dedication to local cuisine has earned international recognition, featuring in celebrated chef Robert Oliver's cookbook Me'a Kai and the Real Pasifika TV series, with a signature pearl meat dish displayed at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris during a Cook Book of the Year celebration. She also collaborates with government agencies to promote healthy living and develop local food programmes rooted in cultural and traditional knowledge, ensuring Cook Islands food traditions are preserved and passed on alongside the flavours themselves.