Hungry for success

A new venture has opened up in Hunua, guaranteeing delicious food for hungry locals.

Despite not having experience in cooking herself, Natasha Howlett has always had a passion for food and a love of baking, and one day decided to put those two things together. She opened Platters by Tash, a pick-up and delivery service, on November 20, focusing on various food platters.

“I come from a background in hospitality and service, and I’ve been searching for something that I can provide to the local community.

“There was ultimately a gap in the market, and that’s how I ended up landing on a takeaway platter business,” Howlett said.

In 2011, she and her partner owned and operated the Szimpla gastro bar located near the Auckland Airport. They sold it at the end of 2019, just before the Covid-19 pandemic, and Platters by Tash represents her first steps back into hospitality.

Unlike Szimpla, which had nearly 30 staff, Platters by Tash is much smaller, and Howlett has noticed some significant changes, especially the focus on locally sourced ingredients and the rising costs of operating a business.

“There’s a lot more emphasis on supporting local, and that’s what I’d ultimately like to do, where I can, and I’d love to source products and ingredients from local suppliers.

“I guess the biggest thing is the cost of ingredients; it’s pretty shocking how much it costs to bake a cake or use premium chocolate in what you’re doing.

“I hope that people value the use of premium goods, because it must be reflected in the price point, because otherwise you won’t make any money at the end of the day.”