GREEK Cypriot catering is up and running in the Eastern Bay with a local foodie wanting to cook and share her culture with her community.

Caterina Murphy, who has a PhD in anthropology, majoring in indigenous studies, has adored Hellenic food her entire life – inherited from her mother and grandfather.

“I love travelling, people, culture, cooking and eating, so I guess it’s in the genes. I really enjoy the spice and condiment differences between the Cyprus-Middle East region and main-land Greece,” she said.

Her Cypriot grandfather was the chef of the George Hotel in Alexandria, Egypt for many years, and worked as a chef in Argentina for 10 years.

“I was the youngest of four kids by far, so I’d spend hours of quality time with my mother cooking; the stories and the rituals, it made a huge impression on me,” she said.

“Mum was an immigrant, and her language wasn’t spoken here but she could keep her cooking traditions going which, like language, are a key expression of cultural identity.”

Mrs Murphy has wanted to own a Greek cafe since she was eight years old, but her plan has been interrupted by a “long and fabulous” career in education.

An agreed reduction in her working hours this year created an opportunity for her to finally start her side-hustle from home.

And so, Yiayia’s Little Kitchen was born.

“I’d had enough of verbalising the dream. I thought, ‘this is crazy – I have to do something’.”

With her catering start-up finalised, Mrs Murphy is ready to take orders.

Her menu includes a Mediterranean Platter for 12 people, a Big Fat Greek Cypriot Dinner for eight, and light meals catering for up to 20. Each meal can be vegetarian, or plant based, depending on the customer’s preference.

All people need to do is put the Greek music on, set the table, sort the drinks and wait for the “Big Fat Feast” to be delivered.

“I’m very passionate about eating plant-based food,” Mrs Murphy said.

“I was totally vegan for three years and I absolutely loved it, and now my diet is probably 95 percent plant based. I do all that I can to encourage the eating of herbs and vegetables, lentils, chickpeas and black beans in particular,” she said.

Not only are planet-friendly platters on offer, but Mrs Murphy is offering nutritionally dense, high-protein breads, including sunflower, caraway, olive and sun-dried tomato.

“These are totally vegan and great for the gut, and they’ll last for seven days refrigerated.

It’s filling and tasty, just like bread should be,” she said.

She said local deliveries can be easily arranged via email and social media.

Additional menu items include cardamom coffee, baklava, moussaka, cupcakes, sticky date and toffee pudding and spanakopita.

Other Greek cakes and dishes are available, including a few of her English favourites.

“I’ll soon find out if this community likes to enjoy Hellenic food, although orders are coming in already. I think it’s filling a gap in the current food arena,” she said.

She has not discounted the idea of a Greek cafe and may even offer cooking lessons in the future.

She has been selling Greek food at the Awakaponga Market each year, running a stall and always displays a framed photo of her inspiration, her mother.

She said people travelled from Ōpōtiki and Tauranga to purchase food from her stall especially, the baklava, which would sell out regardless of how much she made.

“I will be back at the Awakaponga market again at the end of November. I just love catching up with my customers and making people happy through food”.

People can contact her via Yiayia’s Little Kitchen’s Facebook or email [email protected] to inquire about her menu and prices.