Stacey Jones’ Post

Plenty Under Twenty - I really enjoyed writing this article for @unomagazine, highlighting some of region's top eats for under $20. What's your best feast for under $20? I'm doing part 2 in the next edition so I'd love to hear your thoughts.

This is Lacey. She's my best friend's daughter. Lacey loves music. Dancing. She goes to Mount Primary. Her favourite food is hot chips. She has Down Sydrome. And she needs your help. She wants you to help her raise $10,000 for Upsidedown to fund speech language therapy for kids with Down Sydrome. Please come along to our fundraiser on Friday 18th October for Donate to Dine at the Tauranga Club. It's a meal with a mission and it will be a great night. https://lnkd.in/guA2W5WC

Excited about the Butterfly Effect meet up today for women of influence in Tauranga with Nicola O'Rourke leading the charge. I'm all about the first impression and the take away moment at an event. Briefing the incredibly talented Danielle Cubis of Spongedrop fame to create a little takeaway gift always hits the mark. #connecting #butterflyeffect #womeninbusiness

Culture is everything. Last night, in true Secret Sauce fashion, the amazing humans I work with and their partners joined me for a 6-course dinner, with each person bringing a dish and pairing it with wine. Sharing stories, lives, and food is one of the best ways to connect and strengthen bonds. When we run brand workshops with our clients, we often ask two simple but revealing questions: “What does a big win look like?” and “How would you celebrate the win?” The answers always offer deep insight into a company's true values. How a team celebrates its wins says so much about the culture you’re building. Have you ever asked these questions in your own team or business? It’s a powerful way to unearth what really matters.

Hey everyone, I'm seeking insights on the key factors influencing end-of-year party choices. Whether it's cost, novelty, or proximity, I want to hear what matters most to you when selecting a staff party. Do you prefer the day? The evening? Share your highlights and lessons learned – what made past events memorable, and what fell short? P.S. With 189 days till Christmas, plenty of time for planning! 😅

Super excited to see this collab come to life. We're launching with two events this Wednesday and Thursday at Burger Burger Mount (Bayfair) and Burger Burger Hamilton (Made) to celebrate a special Burger Burger x Pepper and Me menu. Join us for a night of food and inspiration from two of my favourite foodies Mimi Gilmour Buckley and Cherie Metcalfe.

If you want to work in food, you’ve got to eat a lot. Tough job, right? My visit to Queenstown last week was unforgettable. Here’s what I took away: ✅Amisfield IS as good as everyone says. In fact better. I can see why it's voted the best restaurant in New Zealand and in the world top 50. It's worth a special trip if you're a foodie. Inventive menu, reflective of the region, incredible service, delicious flavours. I could go on. ✅The service in Queenstown blew me away. I was reminded how good and passionate hospo pros can be and the value it can bring it a meal. After years of the Covid toil, it was a beautiful thing to see. ✅The QTs cocktails are some of the best I've had in a while. Inventive and delicious. The peachy keen was a favourite. Might have had more than one.🙄 ✅ Tonoshi was the best cheap eat. Amazing value and I absolutely loved the pink peppercorn scallops. Get the sake tasting platter too. ✅ Book a tasting at Peregrine Wines in the Gibbston Valley and be sure to send a box home. Delicious, sustainable winery with some exceptional wines. Jump on a bike to get there. The e-tandem at Better By Bike will be fun after a few wines! But come back in one piece please. Hope that's helpful for anyone looking for a foodie trip to QT. My heart and belly are now full.

Last week marked a milestone for Secret Sauce Marketing with our first activation for a brand I've wanted to work on since I arrived in New Zealand: Whittaker's Chocolate. A huge thanks to the incredible Kat Day and Liv Chan of The Breakout Room. We were lucky enough to work as part of the team on an influencer activation for the brand's Mango and Coconut block. We created a collab with Maxine Scheckter of Sugar Flour, who hosted a recipe demonstration to create her absolutely delicious mango and coconut melting moments. Penny Lacey did an incredible job of bringing to life the creative vision of a little 'slice of paradise'. The room was filled with tropical vibes, bursting with colour and flavour to counter the winter blues. So if you're looking for a memorable brand activation that stands out from the crowd, I'm just a message away.

Let's get some great, experienced decision makers into council and continue the step forward the commissioners have made. Ria Hall Jen Scoular are both down to a tee. #freshideas #voteforprogress

We all know that great businesses are built on a strong vision, mission, and values. However, after listening to an amazing podcast, The Diary Of A CEO with Daniel Priestley referred to me by Heidi Seal, I was struck by the concept of adding ‘Origin’ into the mix. Daniel Priestley suggested that business is filled with valleys, and it’s the passion and dedication derived from our origin story that drives you forward, or picks you up when the going gets tough. This is my origin story. Aged 4, I vividly remember cooking meringues with my mum using her 1980s Kenwood mixer, its motor roaring in the background. I would carefully add a spoonful of sugar at a time, watching in awe as the clear egg whites transformed into stunning peaks. It was nothing short of magic! That was the moment I fell in love with food. This origin story continues to drive me as I explore a career in food, combining experience in branding, marketing, events, and culinary tourism—starting with Kitchen Takeover and more recently, Secret Sauce Marketing. My drive to craft edible experiences, brands, and marketing that resonate deeply and leave a lasting impression always leads back to that pavlova. Grandma came to stay this week and life has gone full circle. Now she's making pavlovas with my kids (on a Monday night). How cool is that! #originstory #lovewhatyoudo #foodexperience