The sharing of familiar foods is but one of the ways a cultural group identifies itself. But what happens if that cultural group begins to lose touch with, or control of, its food traditions? Worldwide, professional chefs are embracing traditional indigenous cookery techniques and ingredients in their search for national culinary identity. In doing so, the line between ownership and appropriation is becoming an increasingly fine one. Within today’s Māori society, the hāngī is one of the few remaining traditional food preparation techniques still in regular use. Yet the use of its traditional earth oven form is growing more infrequent as less labor-intensive variations grow in popularity and as the technique becomes increasingly incorporated into commercial hospitality practice. Drawing on research that explores the knowledge and personal experiences of seven hāngī practitioners, this paper examines the cultural significance of the hāngīas a traditional indigenous food preparation technique. As the hāngī increasingly crosses over into the commercial realm it questions the fine line between cookery technique and indigenous culinary property as it asks just what makes a hāngī a hāngī?.