Danielle Moa and son Jesse Moa are hosting 100 people for a free Christmas lunch at the family’s Mangōnui restaurant, Jesse’s on the Waterfront.
Photo: Supplied

A family-owned restaurant in the Far North is making sure people who could have gone hungry today will instead go home full of good food and Christmas spirit.

Jesse’s on the Waterfront, in the historic town of Mangōnui, is putting on a free three-course meal for 100 people, with sittings starting at 10am and 1pm.

The restaurant is owned by Danielle and Anaru Moa, and their sons Jesse, the head chef, and Tyler, front-of-house manager.

Jesse said the family bought the restaurant just over two years ago, when he came home from Melbourne, and they figured now was the right time to give something back to the community.

“We just decided to do it as a family. It’s for the community, for those in need, or who need a bit of cheering up,” Jesse said.

Head chef Jesse Moa at work in the kitchen.
Photo: Supplied

Guests would start with steamed red curry mussels and garlic bread – one of his specialities – followed by champagne ham, roast lamb, roast vegetables, and cauliflower and broccoli with cheese sauce.

They would finish with a dessert of pavlova and New York chocolate brownie with custard and all the trimmings.

He said the Mangōnui community had got behind the idea, offering to help serve food, do the dishes or clean up after each sitting.

Local businesses had also chipped in with donations of food, cash and gas.

Jesse said putting on the free lunch meant working until late last night getting ready, and starting early this morning instead of enjoying a rare sleep-in.

“But it’s worth it. There’s a few people out there that, you know, need a bit of Christmas cheer, so we thought, why not throw this on? Put smiles on people’s faces.”

Community organisation Kaitāia Whānau in Need helped get the word out to vulnerable families who might otherwise miss out on a proper Christmas lunch.

Founder Deirdre Ahu – who also runs Kaitāia’s Adopt a Granny scheme for elderly people living alone – said whānau she worked with were amazed a local family had sacrificed their own Christmas so that others could have a good meal.

Many of the people attending today’s lunch would never have the chance to take their family to a restaurant for lunch, she said.

Jesse Moa said his favourite thing about Christmas was “having a sleep after a good feed”.

Hopefully he’ll be able to do just that after today’s free Christmas lunch.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.