Caviar, Champagne and KFC: Sturgeon Valley’s Take on Indulgence at the Remix Gala
In an irreverent take on gala fare, last night at the Remix Gala we served KFC with caviar — an opulent spin on the iconic fast-food favourite and a fresh interpretation of the high-low dining trend. Following its moment at this year’s Met Gala, the pairing made its Auckland debut, with Sturgeon Valley’s Classic caviar bringing a touch of elevated indulgence to KFC’s signature fried chicken.
For the occasion, Sturgeon Valley selected its Classic grade, a Kaluga-Huso hybrid matured for approximately eight years. With olive-toned pearls, a silky texture and clean salinity, the caviar brings a refined depth to the pairing, complementing the richness of the chicken without overpowering its distinctive seasoning. Malossol, non-pasteurised and never frozen, the Classic grade allows the quality and character of the roe to shine.
Behind the pairing is a distinctly New Zealand story of craftsmanship. Founded in 2023 by Rotorua-born Nicholas Long and Xinyue (Wanda) Wan, Sturgeon Valley began after the pair encountered a land-based sturgeon aquafarm in China. Impressed by the experience of tasting caviar at source, they spent more than a year training alongside master caviar technicians before bringing their expertise home to New Zealand.
Rather than importing finished product, Nicholas and Wanda established New Zealand’s first CITES-approved caviar repackaging facility in Rotorua, where the final stages of maturation, grading and hand-packing take place. The roe is fully traceable to a solar-powered, land-based aquafarm, with each batch resting in carefully controlled cold storage for at least 30 days before being assessed, selected and vacuum-sealed.
The result is a caviar with a considered approach to quality and provenance — equally at home in a fine dining setting or, as the Remix Gala proved, atop a piece of fried chicken. A little unexpected, distinctly indulgent and perfectly suited to a night of champagne and celebration.
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