Tatiana Baker and Nikaya Pomfret during a busy day serving fresh kia moana to Hawke's Bay locals down at marine parade. Photo / Supplied
Tatiana Baker and Nikaya Pomfret during a busy day serving fresh kia moana to Hawke's Bay locals down at marine parade. Photo / Supplied
A new seafood cart is making waves in Hawke's Bay, with visitors from as far away as Gisborne and Pōrangahau stopping in for a bite.
The small family business, based on all things seafood opened to the public on January 15 and has been out and about every weekend since.
Sea's Up gets fresh seafood from Saltwater Seafoods and SUNZ as well as ordering kaimoana from down south as it really depends on what is in stock they can get in Hawke's Bay.
Tatiana Baker, the drive behind the kaimoana cart, said she has a passion for cooking with seafood and had pondered the venture for some time.
"I saw the potential in it and who doesn't love seafood?" Baker said.
"I specifically wanted to work with seafood so based my whole business plan around the sea."
After purchasing her cart around a year ago, it took her a while before she finally had the courage to open up to the public.
"I always found excuses not to take it out, I think I was just scared because I had never cooked for the public before and was worried too much about what others would say about my food."
Once out and about, she found the response from the people of Hawke's Bay "amazing" and she is loving the happy smiles on customers' faces.
Sea's Up has had busy queues since opening, and they keep getting bigger every weekend, with locals and visitors happy to wait in line to get a taste of the fresh seafood meals. Photo / Supplied
Baker and her workmate, Nikaya Pomfret, were stunned by the support, with customers coming from as far away as Pōrangahau and Gisborne.
"We definitely thank all our customers for being patient and waiting in those long lines on hot days."
The most popular thing on the Sea's Up menu at the moment seems to be anything pāua .
The team are starting to trial different things like seafood boils, which Baker said "are going really good".
"We also have a winter menu already sussed and we can't wait to start advertising that."
The mobile food cart can in theory go anywhere, but the Sea's Up crew have been hanging around Napier as it is closer to home.
After being up and running for nearly two months, the kaimoana food cart is looking into getting consent to head over to Flaxmere, so they can trade there once a week.
"The people of Flaxmere have asked us heaps to head over, can't disappoint our customers," Baker said.
In the future Baker and her husband are planning to get a bigger cart and extra staff.
