Ahi | W Shanghai Pop-up

Celebrity chef Ben Bayly brought his award-winning New Zealand restaurant Ahi to the W Hotel in Shanghai for a month-long pop-up, transforming the hotel's main restaurant and terrace into immersive New Zealand environments.

The activation blended fine dining, cultural storytelling, brand partnerships, and large-scale event programming — including a Cloudy Bay wines dinner and the largest Kiwi Drinks gathering ever held in China.

Designed by Architectural Digest AD100 studio hcreates, the fit-out recreated the warmth and atmosphere of Ahi Auckland, reinterpreting its iconic woven timber ceiling using bamboo—a material deeply rooted in Chinese craftsmanship. Guests then stepped out onto The Bach, a Kiwi beach-house inspired terrace complete with a food window, surfboards, native planting and panoramic views across the Shanghai skyline.

Eleni was brought in by Tribal Brands Asia to provide senior project management and strategic oversight, aligning a large partner ecosystem including the chef & hotel teams, interior designer, photographers, TV film crew, media, and event partners. She managed the press pack and media outreach, oversaw the filming schedule for the TV production, and ensured each partner's brand exposure was maximised.

The pop-up and Ben's wider culinary exploration of Shanghai was filmed for Season 5 of the TVNZ1 series A New Zealand Food Story, airing late 2026.