HILL & FARM HOUSE CAFE NEWSLETTER | EDITION 007
MAY 2026
From US With Love: Mothers, Memories & Mayhem
Peter - Owner
From celebrating Mother's Day to sharing childhood memories and the sacrifices parents make, Peter reflects on what family means while taking you behind the scenes at Hill House and Farm House. Discover exciting updates, award recognition and the gratitude that fuels everything we do as a café community.
Kia ora, friends and family,
This newsletter is a little later than usual — but for a very good reason. We escaped to Vietnam to celebrate Leilana’s 40th birthday, and somehow that birthday turned into an engagement for our bestie as well - congrats to Lans and Chance (they even rhyme lol). What a trip. The food, the chaos, the laughs, the memories… honestly, I cried more at that proposal than I did at my own wedding haha.
Now we’re back, straight into one of the biggest events of the year — Mother’s Day.
I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who joined us across Hill House and Farm House. Over the weekend we served more than 500 High Teas across both venues, which still feels completely surreal to say out loud. Seeing generations of families gathered around tables, celebrating mums, grandmothers, aunties, and all the incredible women in our lives was honestly really special.
Farm House absolutely smashed it and the day ran incredibly smoothly. Hill House… well… hospitality always likes to keep you humble. Of course, one of the ovens decided to break down first thing in the morning, which put us a little behind for parts of the day. Thank God people were so understanding and patient, and thankfully we avoided any major dramas. Life in hospitality can honestly be so stressful sometimes — there are moments where you genuinely wonder if the building is held together by coffee and adrenaline alone haha.
Mother’s Day always makes me think deeply about my own mum back in Slovenia.
She lives on her own on a property where she still grows so much of her own food and believes deeply in natural healing, homegrown vegetables, and country living. She is honestly one of the strongest people I know. When we were children, you never really understand how much your parents sacrifice for you — but as you get older, you realise the weight they carried so quietly.
Growing up in Yugoslavia during those incredibly unstable times was not easy. I will never forget one moment when Mum took my sister and me to the grocery store with what felt like a huge amount of money at the time — 100,000 of our currency. By the time we got there, inflation had risen so dramatically within just a few hours that we could barely afford anything. Can you imagine the stress of trying to raise children during that kind of uncertainty?
And yet somehow, Mum always made us feel safe. Fed. Loved. Protected.
This newsletter is really for her — and for all the mums and mum figures out there who quietly sacrifice so much for their children every single day without ever asking for recognition in return.
Thank you for everything you do.
On the café front, there’s also so much happening behind the scenes. We’ve been working away on a brand-new Hill House menu, refining dishes, testing new ideas, and we’re also planning a few really exciting surprises for winter that we cannot wait to share with you all soon.
We also have some incredibly exciting news — both Hill House and Farm House have received ICONIC EATS 2026 recognition (more below), and we’ve also been named finalists in the Lewisham Awards. Honestly, this feels completely surreal to us. To be recognised alongside some of the best operators in the country is something we never take for granted, and we are genuinely blown away by the support.
As always, thank you for being part of this crazy journey with us. Whether you visit us every week or just follow along online, your support means more than you probably realise.
With gratitude,
Peter
ICONIC AGAIN
PADDOCK TO PASTRY WAS AN ABSOLUTE HOOT
A LITTLE MORE SIN THIS MONTH
LEWISHAM AWARDS
We also have some incredibly exciting news — for the first time ever, one of our venues has been named a finalist in the Lewisham Awards. Honestly, it feels completely surreal.
The Lewishams are one of the most respected awards in New Zealand hospitality, so to be recognised alongside operators we’ve looked up to for years is something we never imagined when we started this journey. We are genuinely blown away and so incredibly grateful.
MEET THE TEAM
Some people bake. Some people create comfort. And some people somehow manage to turn butter, sugar and flour into pure happiness. Charaka is one of those people.
Working in pastry and bakery since 2006, Charaka brings an incredible level of passion, creativity and calmness into our kitchens every single day. Behind so many of the cabinet treats, desserts and beautiful High Tea creations you see at Farm House is Charaka quietly working away in the background, making magic happen. And honestly… if you’ve ever had one of our Sin In A Bun, there’s a very good chance you already love his work.
“One of my favourite things to make is the Sin In A Bun,” Charaka says. “I love the warm flavours, the soft texture, and the comfort it brings to customers.” Which honestly makes perfect sense — because his food feels exactly like that: comforting, generous and full of heart.
But where Charaka really shines is High Tea. From delicate pastries and intricate desserts to the tiny little details most people don’t even realise take hours to create, he has played a huge role in helping our High Tea experiences develop a life of their own across both venues.
“I love creating High Tea menus because they allow me to be creative, elegant and detailed with presentation and flavours.” And creativity is something he genuinely thrives on. Whether it’s testing new flavour combinations, refining recipes or developing completely new products, Charaka is constantly thinking about how to make things even better.
“The most rewarding part of my job is seeing positive customer feedback and knowing my creations can make someone’s day special.”
Outside the kitchen, family and friends are incredibly important to him and help keep him grounded despite the chaos hospitality can sometimes bring. And if you’ve ever wondered why our pastry kitchen somehow keeps functioning even during the madness of Mother’s Day, sold-out weekends and High Tea chaos… it’s because people like Charaka quietly keep pushing through with care, consistency and an enormous amount of skill.
Charaka — thank you for the passion, kindness and creativity you bring to Hill House Group every single day. We are incredibly lucky to have you 🫶
CHARAKA
The Pastry Genius behind our
Farm House High Teas & Cabinet Treats