ABOUT US

Welcome to Shining Peak Brewing, named after our beautiful province of Taranaki. In Te Reo Māori, “tara” means mountain peak, and “naki” is thought to derive from “ngaki,” meaning shining – a nod to our mountain’s winter snow cover.

Located at 59 Gill Street, our brewery has been delighting all those that try our award-winning brews and food for over 5 years. Be sure to sample our range of world class brews straight from the tap and savour delicious dishes prepared by our award-winning Head Chef, Freddie Ponder.

We believe in nourishing both the body and the soul. That’s why we dedicate 5% of our beer revenues to support local charities and organisations each month. With over $200k raised and more than 50 Taranaki-based organisations supported, we like to think our #drinkbeerdogood mantra is doing our part to make Taranaki a better place.

Come visit us for great beer, great food, and a great cause.

  • Jesse Sigurdsson 

    Head Brewer and Director of Beer

    Our award-winning Head Brewer comes from the bright lights of Inglewood. A discerning beer connoisseur, Jesse's no slouch on the tools, having won numerous NZ and international beer awards. But don’t be fooled, Jesse's talents aren't limited to brewing. He once skulled a 4-litre pitcher of iced water to win a $500 bet. Given he's half Icelandic, we think it's no coincidence that Iceland legalised beer in 1989, the very year Jesse was born.

  • Freddie Ponder

    Executive Chef

    Freddie Ponder is a passionate chef, husband, father and surfer. Great breweries need great food, and to get great food you need great chefs. Although we might be a bit biased here at Shining Peak, Freddie has the accolades and experience to match. From working at some of the world’s top restaurants to winning major awards including Silver Fern Farms awards and serving multiple tenures as a New Zealand Beef and Lamb Ambassador. That's an accolade reserved for the elite of the elite (one of only five named in New Zealand). There's a little irony here - at home, Freddie doesn’t eat meat, as his wife is vegetarian. Get ready to sit down, enjoy a brew and let Freddie take care of your appetite. 

  • Ajinkya Jagdale

    Director of Hospitality

    Mention hospitality in New Plymouth and inevitably the name of Ajinkya - better known as "AJ" - pops up. Growing up in Mumbai, India, AJ made the daunting move to New Zealand in 2005 to study hospitality. He met a local Taranaki girl, fell in love, and the rest, as they say, is history. We’re all much better off for having him here. While he's an extremely nice guy, you'd be advised not to muck him around. AJ once fought and trained for a corporate boxing fight in front of 1500 people and he still likes to throw on the gloves.

  • Luke Anderson

    Front of House Manager

    Our Front of House Manager, Luke Anderson, is a bit of a legend in the New Zealand hospitality world. We think that's kind of fitting given he grew up in a small Scottish town called Forres, right next to the Loch Ness monster. Immersing himself in hospitality from a young age, Luke's worked all around the world, picking up numerous awards on his travels. All this recognition culminated in his current role as a national judge for the New Zealand Hospitality Awards. It's safe to say, Luke knows what he's doing. Better still, for a party trick that's on point with his profession, he can carry 25 glasses at once - just with his hands! Great for when we're busy at Shining Peak.

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