Noel (left) and Christina Morales look forward to serving their customers at their family run Local Bites Cafe on Kelvin St, Invercargill. PHOTO: NINA TAPU
Filipino duo Christina and Noel Morales have brought their international skills and flavours to their Kelvin St cafe , which is quickly gaining a steady following.
Mrs Morales said the couple, former overseas hospitality professionals, had little savings and they bought the business with help from their families.
"So basically we just put [our money] together and here we are.
"In the Philippines, I had a small corner shop there, but small [enough] so only I could manage it.
"Here in New Zealand, I knew that I needed someone to help me in the cafe so I told my husband that he had to be the chef," she said.
Mr Morales left his role as chef at The Langlands hotel and became his wife's employee.
He is now supporting her dream, after she had been there for him for every career change he had been through.
"I've worked for Alliance as a butcher, I've been a builder.
"I've been on boat cruises and worked as a chef in the Middle East, America and Australia.
"But when the opportunity [to buy the cafe] came suddenly, she said, `Why don't we try?'," he said.
The hardworking couple decided Mr Morales would become the chef and Mrs Morales would run the cafe with the help of an additional staff member and their children assisting on a casual basis.
"This is a good place, close to the mall.
"We just needed to develop the menu for the cafe.
"Our menu is local because we are local, local bites, local Kiwi granola, fish and chips.
"We really wanted to support local, so local produce, local suppliers," Mrs Morales said.
Tourists make up a significant number of their customer base and the couple are grateful for the steady support from fellow Filipinos.
Running a seven-day operation means the family are on site for long hours but owning a business is what the family "thrive on".
"After after work, when we go home, we are tired.
"But we're happy.
"Because when you do your best, it's good because the customer loves it and they keep coming back," they said.
