“This is like mana for our industry,” says Ben Bayly in between mouthfuls of paua, New Zealand abalone, which here at Bayly’s flagship Auckland restaurant Ahi has been braised, served with a paua emulsion and topped with crisp shards of kumara. We’re dining together and discussing the Kiwi food scene, in particular the impending arrival of the iconic Michelin Guide. Mana, Bayly explains, is a Maori word that means authority, power, influence, prestige. It’s a spiritual thing, deeply revered in its homeland, sought after and respected. And that, according to Bayly, one of New Zealand’s leading chefs, is what the Michelin Guide will bring to the local culinary scene: authority, power, influence, respect. Mana. There may have been some head-scratching on the Australian side of the ditch when Michelin’s arrival was announced by the Kiwis late last year. New Zealand getting Michelin? Is that like Saudi Arabia getting a cocktail bar guide?…