Kiwi chef Michael Van de Elzen has packed a lot into his 50 years. He’s worked at some of the best restaurants in the world, as well as opening a few of his own establishments, hosting cooking shows, writing books and even starting a cooking school.
But as he enters his sixth decade, he’s ready for a change of pace.
“Turning 50 is a massive milestone, but I don’t feel 50,” tells Mike, chatting to the Weekly from his home in West Auckland’s Muriwai. “I’m looking forward to slowing down. I have worked my butt off since I was 15 and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve stopped. So, moving forward, I want to simplify life a bit – stop taking on new things all the time and start saying no.”
While some people fret about getting older, Mike says his only concern for most of his life has been how his body would hold up after a lifetime of injuries from pursuing his love of extreme sports.
As a motocross and mountain-biking fanatic, he has suffered at least 30 broken bones. And in 2019, he spent two weeks in hospital after a serious motocross accident left him with torn ligaments in both knees and a broken ankle.
“I’ve had a lot of injuries in my life from doing stupid things,” he muses. “When I was young, I dreaded getting older because I was worried about my body after breaking so many bones and spending all day on my feet in kitchens. But I’m looking okay.”
As he said goodbye to his 40s last month, the Eat Well for Less host has two important lessons he’s carrying with him.
“Don’t ride motorbikes,” he laughs. “And spend more time with my kids.”
The arrival of Mike’s eldest daughter Hazel 11 years ago coincided with his rise to fame as the host of The Food Truck, where he made healthy versions of fast-food favourites. By the time Ivy, now eight, came along, he barely had time to spend with his young family.
Cooking up fun with wife Bee and girls Hazel and Ivy is the chef’s recipe for success.
“When Ivy was born, I didn’t see her for a year,” he tells. “I was at work 24/7 filming the show and running our restaurant – we were trying to take over the world. I look back now, and I should have sat back and just enjoyed the success.”
It wasn’t just the long hours and time away from family that Mike struggled with. He admits the public attention was difficult to adjust to and even after a decade in the spotlight, he still isn’t used to it.
“No one told me what it’s like to be a public figure. You’re stopped all the time, you’re scrutinised, you’re stared at and asked for photos. I wasn’t prepared for that.”
So, eight years ago, Mike and his wife Bee, 48, bought a six-hectare farm 40 minutes outside of Auckland. It was partly so Mike could enjoy some privacy, but also to fulfil their decades-long dream of opening a cooking school, where students would cook using produce grown on the property.
Though it’s a lot more work than he imagined, Mike says it was exactly what the family needed.
“I thought we’d put on a few classes and some functions, and the farm would look after itself. But, holy smokes, there’s a lot more to it! It’s exhausting, but we love it.”
While he dreams of quieter days, it seems that’s a way off as Mike is still in hot demand. He’s just released a new range of patties and meatballs with his longtime collaborator Green Meadows Beef, and celebrated the launch of his very own cast iron pan.
After working in the food industry since he was 15, Mike says he’s delighted to still be passionate about his work, and that he and Bee have made so many of their dreams come true.
“I’m proud to be where I am now and still be able to pull off a meal that inspires people to be better cooks,” he enthuses. “A lot of people get burnt out, but both Bee and I are still here. That’s a pretty big achievement after being in the industry for 35 years.”
