New Zealand's cuisine is driven by its local ingredients and island nation status, evolving into a diverse British-based style with significant Mediterranean and Pacific Rim influences. Rooted in Māori cuisine, traditional diets featured staples like kūmara and abundant seafood, often cooked in communal earth ovens known as hāngī, with early practices including resource conservation like rāhui. From the late 18th century, European arrivals introduced foods such as pork and high-yield potato varieties, which were quickly adopted and integrated into the diet. The culinary scene has further broadened since the 1970s with the growing popularity of New American, Southeast, East, and South Asian cuisines, reflecting the country's increasing cosmopolitanism. This rich history demonstrates a continuous blending of indigenous traditions, colonial impact, and global culinary trends.