Man Eats Wild

Meet The Host

Mario Kalpou

Mario Kalpou’s lifelong fascination with nature’s bounty began in his youth, growing up between his father’s farm in rural Sydney and his mother’s job at the Wentworth Hotel, where his grandfather had been a world-class chef in the 1960s. Comfortable in both the field and the kitchen, the Australian-born Kalpou followed his passion for cooking, working alongside prominent chefs and eventually opening several acclaimed restaurants, most notably The Old Library, which earned accolades such as Zagat 3 Hats and second place at the Belle Awards. Seeking a deeper connection to the land, he later moved to rural New Zealand, where he opened an extreme-adventure lodge and worked as a professional guide for international clients. Immersed in the wild, Kalpou noticed the profound impact nature had on his guests and recognized a growing desire—mirrored by both his clients and former restaurant patrons—for a deeper connection to their food sources. These moments in the wild laid the foundation for Man Eats Wild, where adventure and culinary passion meet.