A New Zealand chef at a Brooklyn restaurant is reaching out to customers with a message reminding them that “immigrants make America great”.

A tweet of a receipt containing Kiwiana chef and proprietor Mark Simmons’ message was posted by a customer over the weekend.

“Immigrants make America great (they also cooked your food and served you today),” the message reads.

The tweet has since received tens of thousands of likes and retweets.

Mr Simmons, who emigrated to the US a decade ago and opened the restaurant in 2011, employs staff from at least six countries, New York-based broadcaster WPIX-TV reports .

He said he was motivated to voice his “silent protest” after President Donald Trump blocked travel to the US of people from seven Muslim-majority countries as part of an executive order.

"I think about the families being torn apart," Mr Simmons said.

"Put yourself in their position, it would break me up."

Mr Simmons added he intended to continue spreading his message “for as long as it takes”.