Cooking with Michael Van de Elzen

The Avenue Apartments are the newest addition to Remuera Gardens — 61 modern, light-filled apartments designed for effortless living, with spacious interiors and enviable outlooks across Remuera. With generous floorplans (up to 163 sqm), these apartments give residents the freedom to keep living the way they love — entertaining friends, sharing meals, and welcoming family with ease.

To celebrate this spirit of connection, we’re hosting a special cooking demonstration with acclaimed New Zealand chef Michael Van de Elzen at Remuera Gardens next Wednesday 12th of November. Michael will show guests how to create quick, healthy, and delicious meals using everyday ingredients, sharing practical recipes designed for smaller households — perfect for those spontaneous “drop-in” moments with friends.

Michael’s culinary journey began at just 14, washing dishes in a Henderson restaurant, where he quickly fell in love with the buzz of the kitchen. His career took him to London and Ireland before returning home to New Zealand, where he opened several successful restaurants. In recent years, he’s shifted his focus toward sharing his passion for healthy, accessible cooking — through television, radio, and his own cookery school in Muriwai.

Warm, charismatic, and endlessly passionate, Michael embodies the joy of food and the importance of sharing it with others. His practical, easy recipes are perfect for busy retirement lifestyles — ideal for entertaining friends and family in the spacious kitchens and living areas of The Avenue Apartments.

This event is part of our Real Living 40th Anniversary celebrations, marking four decades since the opening of our very first village, Pakuranga Park, in 1985. Back then, the idea of a retirement village was revolutionary — a bold vision that helped shape Real Living’s enduring philosophy: to create communities where older people can live with dignity, purpose, and friendship.
Director Chris Murphy, a member of the founding family, explains:

"We discovered most people don’t want to shrink their lives when they retire. That’s why we created The Avenue Apartments — some of the largest in Remuera, up to 163 square metres, with plenty of storage. It’s about taking your life with you — and maybe making it even bigger."

Being family-owned means Real Living continues to offer something the big corporate operators can’t — genuine care, personal connection, and a community that puts people above profits.

Our 40-year celebrations have already included many memorable moments, such as an uplifting Q&A session with iconic broadcaster Judy Bailey, who spent the morning with residents and guests reflecting on her remarkable career and life beyond the news desk. Judy’s message of positivity and engagement deeply resonated with the Real Living philosophy — to embrace ageing as an opportunity to keep active, stay connected, and enjoy life to the fullest.

“Retirement villages are amazing places of connection,” Judy said. “You’re surrounded by like-minded people, sharing experiences, and meeting others every day — that’s incredibly powerful.”

At Real Living, life can be as relaxed or as full as you like. Every resident chooses their own pace — some prefer quiet mornings in the garden or time spent reading on the balcony, while others thrive on the village’s vibrant social calendar. From themed dinners, exercise classes, and quiz nights to concerts, craft sessions, and special guest events like Mike Van de Elzen’s cooking demo, there’s always something to look forward to. The beauty of village life is that you can be as involved — or as independent — as you wish, surrounded by people who respect your rhythm and share your sense of community.

Find out more here: 

https://remueragardens.co.nz/