Taylah Dean welcomes visitors to Grant St Grocer restaurant as she and a team of 15 prepare for the big event.
The Grant St Grocer restaurant is primed and ready to go.
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Taylah Dean welcomes visitors as cheerfully as manager Rae King could want a staff member to do, and both are looking forward to keeping the meals flowing and the vibe ‘amazing’ on show day.
Rae said that in addition to the three staff running the caravan at Rotary Park with pastries, brownies, sandwiches and coffee, another 13 would have the restaurant firing on all 16 cylinders.
“There will be 10 in here and three out the front,” Rae said.
“That is what makes the day flow and it’s go-go-go and we’re all happy-happy.
“So are the customers.”
Rae King, Jacob Harding and Taylah Dean working the floor at Grant St Grocer. Rae says good staff numbers makes the day flow.
Grant St Grocer is owned by Lisa and Alan Harding, who bring to the restaurant 30 years experience in hospitality.
Their son Josh Harding also works there and said the menu for show day was still being put together by chef Thyago Roche.
“We are working on it still because we like to do a different thing each year,” Josh said, flinging his rubber gloves and grabbing a tray.
“In the past we specialised in chicken burgers and last year it was pulled pork rolls, so you’ll need to talk to Thyago.”
Taylah worked the caravan at last year’s show and said the huge crowds were very patient and considerate given the wait times being longer than usual.
She said she would try for a good night’s sleep the night before, but had a back-up plan involving coffee.
“I try to get a good sleep; if not, I definitely go home during the day and have a good nap,” Taylah said.
“But it’s good that we work in a coffee shop so we can get our caffeine hit.”
Thyago Roche puts the final touches to Grant St Grocer's menu and says the signature dish for this year's show will be handmade pasta.
The pasta will roll – Bonissimo!
The step from physiotherapist to Italian cuisine training in Umbria is certainly a sideways one.
It’s as unusual as finding a Brazilian chef specialising in Italian pasta.
Thyago Roche admits as much, and now he calls Alexandra home, having travelled the likes of Switzerland, Spain, Portugal and Perth.
Catching Thyago still deciding on the full menu stirred him most likely to name the speciality for the truck show.
“Fresh pasta will be the highlight,” Thyago declared.
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