After sailing the world together, Sophie and Michael Isbey have taken on the Matakana Smokehouse and are settling back in Mahurangi to start a family.
Michael grew up in Algies Bay and Sophie was raised in Raglan.
Michael completed the superyacht crewing certificate at Mahurangi Technical Institute and the couple met in Spain six years ago where they were both working on yachts in the Mediterranean and Caribbean.
“We were working on a 60-metre yacht with about 15 crew and 12 guests,” Michael says. “I was the second mate and Sophie was head stewardess.”
“The guests live in a different world,” Sophie says. “Sometimes they would wake up and have champagne and pineapple for breakfast.”
After six years in the industry, they bought and renovated a 13.4-metre Jeanneau yacht in the Caribbean and set sail home for New Zealand.
“We sailed through the Panama Canal and on to the Galapagos Islands,” Sophie says. “It was like a dream.”
They spent two years island hopping through the Pacific before coming back to Mahurangi 18 months ago. They started looking for a business that would enable them to enjoy the Mahurangi lifestyle and raise a family and the Matakana Smokehouse ticked all the boxes.
“We are both passionate about food and believe in using locally sourced and sustainable products,” Sophie says.
“Our main product is manuka-smoked salmon, which is sustainably farmed in Akaroa,” Michael says. “We also have kahawai and sardines from Leigh Fisheries, and smoked beetroot and mushroom.
“Everything is as natural as possible. All of the fish is cured within 24 hours of it being caught.”
Another non-smoked specialty is gravlax salmon – a Nordic method of curing fish, using salt, sugar, dill, basil and lemon.
The products are now available at Warkworth New World, Snells Beach Fruit & Veg, Matakana Four Square and at the Matakana Village Farmers’ Market.
They are also keen to collaborate with local chefs to create exotic smoked dishes and do contract smoking.
