Photo: Sharyn Smart
Chef Gavin Hayes’ decision to combine his catering business with a delicatessen is proving popular with New Plymouth foodies.
About a year ago Hayes realised his life-long goal of owning a deli when he and his wife Kerryn bought Vetro Mediterranean Foods on Egmont St, New Plymouth.
“Ever since I can remember I have always wanted to own a deli,” said Hayes, who has worked as a chef for 26 years.
The couple had been running Delicious Catering but after eight years were ready for a new challenge.
“I saw this opportunity come up and grabbed it.”
Initially the couple hoped to run both businesses but soon realised it wouldn’t be possible.
“It was pretty easy for me to give up the catering because I had been doing it for eight years and was getting pretty tired of it,” Hayes said.
The couple decided to move the catering company’s commercial kitchen into Vetro and offer a take-home meal option branded Delicious Friday.
The deal means customers can collect a gourmet dinner from the deli to take home.
Each week Hayes creates a menu using ingredients from the shop which he emails to his regular customers.
“I want to do the cooking myself using the ingredients from the store. I want to show people how to use the products in everyday meals,” he said.
Initially he planned on taking orders and having meals ready to sell in the shop.
“I am pleased to say that I haven’t been able to do that as they tend to sell out before they get to the shop.”
Hayes has also spent the past year expanding the range of products he stocks in order to meet customer demand.
“I am really working hard on building the stock and getting confidence back into the store,” he said.
This was published in the Taranaki Daily News on September 9, 2013