Paddock to plate at The Falls Retreat

A Life Built on Paddock-to-Plate

When Brad and Emma first arrived in New Zealand almost 20 years ago, they stumbled upon a modest property known then as “Goose Farm”,  a collection of cottages and a small tearoom nestled in the forest by Owharoa Falls, in the Karangahake Gorge.

With two small children and a longing for a simpler, more meaningful life, the couple invested everything they had, their savings, hard work, and a big dose of courage, to transform that quiet slice of bush into something special. It took years of labour, hope, and community support, but in 2011 they opened the doors to what is known today as The Falls Retreat.

From the very beginning, Brad and Emma, chef and general manager, built the place with two things in mind: family, and a deep respect for land, food, and seasons.

At the heart of The Falls Retreat is a commitment to authenticity, food grown, harvested, cooked, and enjoyed with integrity. The Retreat’s own organic kitchen gardens and orchard supply much of the produce used in the bistro, from fresh vegetables to herbs, eggs from their own chickens, and seasonal ingredients for wood-fired pizzas, house-made breads, pickles, preserves, and more

But it wasn’t just about food. As Emma and Brad’s vision evolved, they introduced workshops for cooking, gardening, fermenting, preserving. Inviting locals and visitors to learn where their food comes from and how to work with the earth. What began as a rustic bistro slowly grew into a full experience of connection: to nature, to ingredients, and to community.

Today, The Falls Retreat is more than a restaurant. It offers a range of experiences, all shaped by Brad and Emma’s passion for slow food, sustainable living, and genuine hospitality.

• Laid-back, Rustic Dining: On weekends, guests can gather for shared meals of seasonal, scratch-made dishes. For casual vibes, locals night is on every Sunday over the summer months. This means wood fired pizzas, chips and organic garden salad served from 4pm -8pm with The Sauna Project also on site. 
• Garden-to-Table Getaway: Quaint cottages and cabins sit tucked in the forest beside the waterfall, offering a peaceful escape. Guests wake to birdsong, wander through gardens, and enjoy breakfasts made from fresh eggs and produce grown on-site.
• Hands-on Learning: Cooking and gardening workshops. From sourdough and pasta-making to composting and preserving, the workshops give people the chance to learn skills, try their hand at growing or cooking their own food, and reconnect with sustainable living.
• Celebrations, Connection & Community: The Retreat has become a special event venue, for intimate weddings, group bookings, functions, and moments that bring people together. Because for Emma and Brad, hospitality has never been just about food; it’s about sharing a way of life.

For Brad, cooking has always been more than a job. From age ten he knew he wanted to be a chef. Yet when he met Emma, and the demands of a traditional restaurant life loomed large, they realised they wanted something different: a life where family, nature, and food could coexist.

Emma, with her business savvy and grounded practicality, embraced the challenge. She learned to garden, to manage accommodations, to juggle cooking, cleaning, bookkeeping, raising children, and eventually making their bush-hideaway a welcoming refuge.

Together, they built more than a restaurant, they built a home, a community, and a living philosophy. A philosophy that says: take time, honour the earth, grow what you can, cook what you grow, and share it with generosity.

Today, The Falls Retreat stands as a testament to that vision. A place where you don’t just eat, but belong; where a holiday means breathing forest air, tasting sun-warmed vegetables, watching kids roam amongst the gardens, and perhaps learning to bake sourdough in a barn.

In their own words: it’s a place to reconnect, with food, nature, and each other.