From Kitchens to Kai

Joel Williams, Salvation Army regional food security champion for Auckland, has shaped a life around food, hospitality and service to others through full stomachs.

I was 10 when my family left England and came out to New Zealand. I didn’t really understand how big that move was at the time. I just knew everything was different. Different land, different people, different pace of life. We ended up in West Auckland, around Bethells Beach, and that became home.

I wasn’t someone who had a big career plan when I left school. The pull of hospitality for me was the energy. Kitchens are alive. There’s noise, heat, pressure and this shared focus on getting things right. But more than that, I liked what food did. You could see the result straight away. You make something, and someone enjoys it. There’s something simple and honest about that.

Feeding a dream

I started out in cafés, doing the basics. From there I moved into restaurants, then catering. Before long I was working events, weddings, big functions. Over time, cooking became more than just a job. It was something I took pride in. I liked the timing, the balance, the way small things can make a difference. Food brings people together in a way not much else does.

I had some pretty memorable experiences along the way. I’ve cooked for prime ministers and even helped prepare food for Prince William. But to be honest, whether it was a big event or a small function, the feeling was the same. You want people to walk away happy, feeling looked after.

A change of direction

Then Covid-19 came along, and like a lot of people in hospitality, I felt it straight away. I had my own catering business in the city at the time, right near where the cruise ships would come in. When the borders closed, everything stopped.
That period forced me to stop and think about what I was doing and where I was heading. I retrained as a project manager, which gave me some new direction. But I didn’t want to lose that connection to people, or to food. That’s how I ended up at The Salvation Army, leading the Manukau Foodbank.

In hospitality, you feed people who are choosing to be there. At the foodbank, you’re working with people who don’t have that choice. They’re there because they need help. That shifts your perspective pretty quickly. When you see the number of families coming through, and you hear their stories, it stays with you. You want to do what you can to make things a bit easier.

Championing kai

At Manukau, we’ve worked hard to build something that supports people well. We turned the site into a hub for food coming in from places like the New Zealand Food Network and KiwiHarvest, so we can distribute it more widely. We also moved to a choice model, so people can pick what they need.

These days, we’re helping provide around 9000 meals a week across South Auckland, and a similar amount through other groups we support. It’s a big operation, but it’s driven by something simple—making sure people have enough to eat.

At home, life is full. I’m married, and we’ve got a young child with another on the way. I also have two daughters from my previous marriage. Life’s busy, but they keep me grounded.

Earlier this year, I stepped into the role of regional kai champion for Auckland, and now that’s expanding across the northern region. It meant stepping away from the Manukau team, which wasn’t easy, but it also means I can support more communities.

When I look back, it doesn’t feel like a straight line from where I started. But food has always been at
the centre. It’s still about feeding people, just in a different way now.