Christine Price (left), Joanne Steiner, Ebony Paniora and Danielle Cochrane. Absent from photo, Joy Robb

“It is going great and we have learned a lot, we have a great staff and lovely customers and we are paying the bills!”

The exuberant Jo Steiner of Jo’s Home Cookery has a ton of enthusiasm a year on from opening her business in Gladstone St, Dargaville.

However, Jo’s been in the Kaipara food business for a number of years and her comprehensive catering experience tells with a glance at her extensive menu. A hugely popular dish seems to be a delicious sea-food chowder and it pays to be early.

“We are still basically a home cooking operation but with brisk business and functions happening, around town — well, we have to bend that rule just a little.

“We are open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner — we do take a break between 4pm and 6pm — and we are also doing meals and delivering them for senior citizens in Dargaville on Mondays and Tuesday — and that’s out of love as much as for business.”

Jo’s Home Cookery employs five staff, and apart from the restaurant, she caters for outside events.

“We do Rotary lunches and we have just done a winter Christmas dinner at the Boating Club and also another one here. In fact we say yes to everything and then we worry about how to do it later.