Uelese Mua, Head Chef at Euro, Talks Success
Uelese Mua, Head Chef at Euro, talks to M2 for the Man on the Street series.
What are the top three things on your bucket list?
In no real order, I’d love to travel more when the borders allow, learn another language (potentially Mandarin!) on top of Samoan and French, which I’m fluent in and lastly open my own restaurant, which might not come as a huge surprise.
What advice would you give your 20 year-old self?
Don’t wait when it comes to your career – work hard, be more business-minded and think strategically. Finally, back yourself!
How do you stay motivated?
Chasing the person I want to be, whether that’s working towards my career goals or being the best father I can be. My son and family play a huge role, they are the ones that constantly keep me going.
What is the worst mistake you’ve made and how did you fix it?
Not keeping recipes when I first started cheffing. Throughout my early career, I was constantly kicking myself trying to remember certain elements of a dish that I knew but couldn’t remember. Safe to say, I now have a hard drive full of recipes – it’s my digi version of a little black book.
What is your advice for people to fund their dream?
Do something you enjoy and go for it, so working towards the dream isn’t such a chore. Plus, a good savings plan is always helpful!
What is the best bit of advice, or quote, that resonates with you?
Hard to choose just one! I really like the saying ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup’. I’m all about putting myself first and making sure the cup is full.
What’s your favourite restaurant?
Euro, of course! Following that Hello Beasty comes in a close second followed by Spicy House on Dominion Road – I’m a no-frills kind of guy when it comes to eating food others have cooked for me.
How do you keep up to date with current affairs?
I gave up reading the news as I find it’s always quite negative.
What is the secret of living a longer, more successful life?
Balance. Something I learnt in school, and that has stuck with me ever since, is the Māori philosophy of Hauora and the four pillars; physical, mental and emotional, social, and spiritual – keeping those in balance is key.
What makes you feel alive?
Being a chef naturally involves long hours, so days off with my family is precious and what keeps me going. I usually turn off my phone so I can fully switch off.