Aisha, Pip and Kaylah with the Mini on the Run van.
PICTURE / PAUL BROOKS
Aisha, Pip and Kaylah with the Mini on the Run van.
PICTURE / PAUL BROOKS
It's the sound of the horn that gives them away. The first dozen or so notes of Dixie announce the arrival of Mini on the Run, the white van laden with freshly prepared food: a welcome sight at many a business.
Mini on the Run is the morning tea and lunchservice provided by Mini Gourmet, the busy catering firm of Pip and Andrew Sperling. Every weekday morning, bright and early, their kitchen heats up and Pip prepares food for the van to take out to customers. It's a big job and demand is huge.
Calling in to workplaces all over town, as well as out to the industrial belt in Heads Rd and customers at the Aramoho end of Somme Pde, the fare has to be as diverse as their customer base, so alongside the pies and sausage rolls you'll find cafe-style dishes like corn fritters with bacon or salmon on brown rice, as well as all the old favourites like cream doughnuts and custard squares. Hot meals are part of the menu, too. "Everything is made fresh from scratch every day," says Pip. That includes the big variety of pies.
Pip has help. Kaylah Wegman and Aisha-maree Kendrick take turns to help in the kitchen and drive the van. Workplaces or individuals signal Pip via the Mini on the Run Facebook page or by text and food is delivered accordingly. For some places the van is a regular, daily visitor: for others it might be once or twice a week. Either way, they're getting delicious food delivered without having to leave the job.
Pip does all this on top of running Mini Gourmet, the catering company for all occasions. While Andrew is a mechanic by day, the weekends and Mini Gourmet bookings see him turn into a caterer, helping Pip and the team supply food for weddings and other social events. Then it's all hands on deck to create and supply for a variety of menus, from roast dinners to the gourmet tasties that Mini Gourmet is renowned for.
