PINK BROCCOLI CHECK IN! Chatting to Nav about her journey so far!

This week on the Forkin' Good Podcast, Kate Fenwick and Simon Gault sit down with Nav, the chef behind the soon to open Pink Broccoli cafe.

After a chance encounter with Simon Squibb, who asked Nav one simple question, “What’s your dream?”, her life changed almost overnight. From cooking in the kitchen of a cafe to suddenly preparing to become the owner of her own place, Nav shares the excitement, anxiety, pressure, and reality behind the dream.

In this honest conversation, Nav talks about her journey from Punjab, India, to New Zealand, her love of cooking, the support of her family, the responsibility of stepping into business ownership, and her vision for Pink Broccoli.

There is food, emotion, business advice, cultural inspiration, and plenty of excitement about what is to come.

Follow along as Nav prepares to open Pink Broccoli and bring her dream to life.

Follow the podcast on Instagram and Tiktok: @forkingoodpod

Follow Simon on his channels below:
Instagram: @simon_gault
Facebook: @Officialsimongault
Tiktok: Simonjgault
Youtube: Simon Gault

Follow Waste-ed with Kate here:
Instagram: @wastedwithkate
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wastefreewithkate
Tiktok: wasted.kate
Youtube: Waste-ed with Kate

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:04

Welcome everybody to our Falk and Good podcast. And today we have a very special guest. We have Nav. And Nav has been part of a very exciting last few weeks. I think she's a little bit still overwhelmed, a little bit uh, you know, like you know, deer in the headlights, as they say.

SPEAKER_00 0:25

So for those of you out there that haven't heard of Nav, you might have heard of Simon Squibbs, who is an English gentleman who goes around the world asking people what their dream is. But he was in the cafe that Nav was working in, and he said to the waitress, I want to see the chef. And I think they all thought, oh my goodness, he's gonna complain. And then Nav went out and he said, You tell them what he said to you.

SPEAKER_01 0:54

Yes, uh, so you just asked me what's what's my dream is. So I just told them that I want to have my own cafe, a place to call like myself, so that I can create what I really love and love cooking for people. So and then we just had a good chat. I didn't even notice there was a camera hunting for me. Yeah, that that's how the conversation went about it, and I'm here now.

SPEAKER_00 1:20

But the long shot is doing well But the long shot of the story is the next day, basically, Simon bought the cafe for you. Exactly and he also said to you that it was the best pastry he'd ever had. So you went out thinking, oh my goodness, what's he gonna say what's he gonna say about the food he's just had? And he said, That's the best pastor I've ever had.

SPEAKER_01 1:41

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 1:41

And then asked you.

SPEAKER_01 1:42

Yes, what's my dream is? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:45

Yeah. And he's helped people all around the world.

SPEAKER_01 1:47

Absolutely. Like I've been following him for over a year and a half now, I think.

SPEAKER_00 1:53

And so you knew who he was.

SPEAKER_01 1:55

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 1:56

You spy him when he walked in.

SPEAKER_01 1:58

No, no, no, not not that I at that time I didn't know. Like before that video actually came out, I just went to deliver the food because we were so busy and we were like short staffed as well. People, people have gone back home for holidays, so I kept ringing at the bags like full AC first. Nobody came out, so I just went to deliver and it was just happened to be on their table.

SPEAKER_00 2:20

Can you talk us through the pasta dish that you cooked him and like explain it so everybody listening knows what it tastes like?

SPEAKER_01 2:28

It's a very simple dish that can be cooked fast so that it doesn't take long for people, like people don't wait more than 15 minutes for the food at the cafes. So it's put your bacon in the oil, chow it, cook it, saute it, and then you add your organos and garlic, and then splash off wine and fire it. So the the the flambe needs to be there, otherwise it will not taste nice for me specifically.

SPEAKER_00 2:58

And then you can cook the wine out, get rid of the alcohol.

SPEAKER_01 3:01

Yes, yes, absolutely. And then add your cream in it, and then cook a bit, and then you can add your cheese in it if you like it, or you can just reduce the cream as well. Yeah, and then you just add your boiled pasta, yeah. Toss it, cocarino on top, big bit of bacon crumbs out. It's so simple, but it tastes so good.

SPEAKER_00 3:23

Okay, we're gonna go and try it. I think we do.

SPEAKER_01 3:26

I think we do. So nice, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:28

Yeah. Because it looked yum when I saw it on this video. I was gonna do it.

SPEAKER_01 3:32

Yeah, it's really it's really yummy.

SPEAKER_02 3:34

And I think like that's one of the things that it's a moment of your life where somebody turns up. I mean, who would have known since what's it been, three weeks now? Yeah. Is it three weeks?

SPEAKER_03 3:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:44

And I all of a sudden you've gone from, oh, I'd really like to have a cafe one day. That's uh goal, to the next day being like, oh, look, you've got a cafe. And then all of a sudden you've got 60,000 followers on Instagram. It was making it. I think it's more now, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 4:00

How many followers have you got?

SPEAKER_01 4:02

Almost 70. Almost 70,000?

SPEAKER_00 4:04

That's 70,000 people.

SPEAKER_01 4:06

400 away from 70.

SPEAKER_00 4:09

And before you met Simon, how many followers did you have?

SPEAKER_01 4:12

55.

SPEAKER_02 4:13

55.

SPEAKER_00 4:16

Now you're 70,000.

SPEAKER_02 4:18

Yeah. Well, and I suppose like in that instance, like all of a sudden you've gone from a chef out the back of a cafe just cooking really good forking pasta, you know, and then all of a sudden you've got 70,000 people going, oh, what are you doing now? Yeah. Like, I'm I'm I'm watching to see what you're doing. And they want to see your journey. Yes. And that can be quite overwhelming, too.

SPEAKER_01 4:42

Absolutely, yeah, absolutely. Like I know now. I need to think of what I really want to do with that 70,000 people following me.

SPEAKER_00 4:51

But also, how does it feel with the cafe? Like, you go on three weeks later, you know, the dust is settled.

SPEAKER_03 4:57

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 4:58

You are going to be, you know, you're just still signing the paperwork, and it's April 2026 that you open the cafe called Pink Broccoli. Pink broccoli. So, how how are you feeling about it all? Because I mean, you're not super old, you're not super young, but you're wise. Yeah. And you're not in your country of origin. So you're in a foreign country, mum and dad aren't here. You said before we started filming, you just wish you had your dad there when you signed. Yeah. You know. So how how are you feeling?

SPEAKER_01 5:34

It's very old. I mean, I just don't want to cry. I cried yesterday. But it has been full of anxiety last three weeks. Yes, like people, people don't see it, you know. People just see, oh, it's such a blessing for. Yes, it is a blessing for, but it comes with such a big responsibility.

SPEAKER_03 5:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:53

I can't like sometimes breathe properly, and like that sort of anxiety has been like I have to get up and to get a like long breast in and out, like quite a few times, or I'll go for a long walk to settle everything in that's going on.

SPEAKER_03 6:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:10

I probably like when I signed my first contract, yeah. I tried before signing it because I just like I wish my dad was there because he might not be able to understand everything that's written in it. But just having that that figure sitting the support that's sitting next to you is so important.

SPEAKER_02 6:30

Yeah. And I think like, and I'll speak for myself, but I'm sure Simon's had the same thing over the years. You go, I've had a lot the last couple of years of anxiety. Yeah. Like just completely random, out of the blue. I didn't get given a restaurant, but you know, like that, I can understand how that complete switch from going, it's in the back of your head, la-di-da, got the name, one day I'll make it happen, to then all of a sudden, holy shit, now I'm actually doing this thing. And it does, it overwhelms you mentally, physically, and emotionally. Yes. And I've had anxiety probably three times, and and it's always right before a change, you know, like or right on a change. Like it changes, you all of a sudden your brain's just going, hang on, what? What?

SPEAKER_01 7:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:23

You know, have you have you?

SPEAKER_01 7:25

It's like my brain hasn't really accepted it. It's like, I you never know, I might not go through it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:33

And there's an anxiousness as well, as well, of I think failure is the thing. Like you've been put into the spotlight.

SPEAKER_03 7:41

Like, yes, boom.

SPEAKER_02 7:42

You're now on, like you've got all these people following you. You're now you are doing a restaurant, yeah, and then you're like, oh shoot, your brain tricks you, and you're gonna be fine. But in your brain goes, what if I can't do it?

SPEAKER_01 7:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:54

What if I'm not ready? What if, what if, what if? And that's what causes the anxiety.

SPEAKER_01 7:58

Yes, because it was out of nowhere as well. Like, I yes, I had the name in my mind. Yes, I want to do it, but no, it was not like it's gonna happen out of nowhere.

SPEAKER_00 8:12

It was one day in the distance.

SPEAKER_01 8:14

Yes. For me, it's like, oh yeah, maybe like I I need to come up with a few more things with the I I'll still work on my skills a bit more, and maybe like in a year and a half, I'll I'll start something small.

SPEAKER_00 8:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:26

You know, I I will do it, but then oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:29

So it's all come at once, right? Yes. And if I can just offer my two cents worth here, that the feelings that you are having right now of being anxious, bursting into tears every now and again, is completely natural. Yes. You are not abnormal. Anybody else would be in the same boat. And when you say you're going for a walk or you're doing some breathing exercises, that is fantastic. And that sort of breathing in through your nostril and holding it for about four seconds and then just slowly exhaling. I almost think when I breathe in, like I'm concentrate that I'm breathing in through one nose, and I imagine I'm a balloon and I'm filling up, and I'm and I can see my foot, and the balloon is getting bigger, and I'm just filling up. And then I hold it and I'm a full balloon, and then I just slowly sit there and I breathe out through my mouth. And if you do that five or six times, the science tells us it works going for a walk, but eating properly. Yes, you know, plenty of protein, vegetables, look after yourself because it is going to be a tough journey.

SPEAKER_03 9:40

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 9:41

It's going to be a super exciting journey, and you know, we want to see you succeed, we want to help. But I think you want to surround yourself with really good people that want to help you because it is frightening. Yeah. And I I had my first restaurant when I was 22 years old, which is very young. And I remember my mum and dad took me to meet an accountant that was going to go to the accountants. He and it, you know, he read me the ride. Do you realize that you know you are going to have to work all the time, every time, every day, until you get this going. And consequently, the first three years I never took a day off. We were closed Sundays and we closed for a couple of weeks at Christmas. But I was there, I lived, I breathed it. But it's so rewarding because it's your dream, right? Yeah, and Simon Squibbs has helped make your dream come true. And you talked about him being kind. I mean, he really is, right? It goes around the world. All his profits from his YouTube, his Instagram, TikTok, his books all goes into funding people like you.

SPEAKER_02 10:50

And that's the cool thing. Like, and I suppose that you've been given this opportunity. And I what I love when we were talking to Simon, I loved his analogy, where his his mindset is, I'll give people a fishing rod, but I won't give them the fish.

unknown 11:06

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 11:07

And so you've got the rod, I'm giving you the opportunity, and now it's up to you to actually make that happen. And I think that's such a good, like, it gives people a foot out. But I also think, like, you know, everybody, and I mean Simon, myself, we've we've started, we have started multiple businesses. I've started and run multiple businesses, and putting yourself out there and starting is the hardest part. And then you've gotta, you've just gotta, you just keep going. Like I I always think it's like Dory on the, you know, finding Nemo. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.

SPEAKER_01 11:44

Like, you know, I'm on the ski, every day, same thing, repeat it, repeat it. Yeah, I think that's that's that's how it works in in the profession. I am otherwise you cannot build the skill at all.

SPEAKER_00 11:57

You need to gear yourself up that it's gonna be relentless, it's gonna be continuous, it's not gonna stop, there are gonna be tough times, yeah, and there are gonna be fabulous times. And uh celebrate the good times and somebody said to me once, you know, the minute you see something not working, change it.

SPEAKER_03 12:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:18

You know, if you think it's not working, if your gut is saying this dish is not working or this particular staff member is not working, you you fail fast and fix it. Even faster. It's a bit like flying an aeroplane. And I remember when I was learning how to fly an airplane, my dad taught me. And he said, the minute you start wondering, maybe the weather's not looking so good, the minute you start thinking, I wonder, that's the moment you turn around and you make a change that's going to keep you alive in that case, and in your case, keep you in business. And it's okay to fail. You're taking the risk. We all need to take risk in life, you know. Luck, yes, you were lucky, but you created that luck. You know, by your demeanour when you went to the table and you met him, he must have liked you. Yes. Otherwise, he's not gonna suddenly go, I'm gonna buy you a cafe tomorrow.

SPEAKER_01 13:17

And not not just that. Nobody would give you amount of money if you don't go after it either. I had to arrange my side of the money within a day. And I did that.

SPEAKER_03 13:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:31

And I think that also made him realize that you committed. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:36

You're ready to do it. Yes. And you'll make it happen. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 13:40

And I'm I'm so grateful people on me who helped me through it. So like I know them for like past ten years now.

SPEAKER_00 13:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:47

And they didn't even hesitate at all. Yeah. Like, no hesitation.

SPEAKER_00 13:51

And you've got skin in the game, right? Yes. Yeah. And that's what Simon would want to do. Is she really going to put in money where her mouth is? And you have, and now it's exciting, daunting.

SPEAKER_03 14:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:05

So I'd love you to paint a picture to all the listeners of what your cafe is like. Because I went, I've been to visit you the cafe. And it wasn't what I was expecting at all. So paint the picture. You walk in the door.

SPEAKER_01 14:19

It's going to be pink.

SPEAKER_00 14:21

You're going to paint it all pink?

SPEAKER_01 14:22

Not all pink. I just pink or like a light, light pink, morph pink, sort of. Like all sorts of things. Like sort of from modern line lines and stuff, I would put. And then we're going to change the seatings as well, specifically the cushions and stuff. I'm thinking of dark green. Oh dark green? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:42

Nice.

SPEAKER_01 14:43

And then we're going to paint some stuff at the coffee sides as well. Then we're going to put some, you know, things for people to take home as well on one of the corners. Maybe more plants. I want it like a bit of an in full of like ambience and like welcoming and like warm hug, sort of. That's what I want.

SPEAKER_00 15:04

A warm hug. That's like a hug and the mug, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 15:10

I I don't just want it to be like uh oh, it's just another thing.

SPEAKER_00 15:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:14

I would like to add like a bit of pieces of my culture as well into even into food and into decorations as well, but we're still working on that in.

SPEAKER_00 15:23

Yeah. So let's talk about that, the food, because you come, let's tell everybody where you come from. I'm from, you know, what what did you do? You went through school, did you work in India, or did you leave? Tell us, tell us to start. You're at school.

SPEAKER_01 15:39

So I am from India, Punjab. So it's north of India. A very small village. My father, he's an excellent man. People around me, specifically girls, didn't get the education I got, the schools I got, the clothes I got, everything I got.

SPEAKER_00 15:54

What does your dad do?

SPEAKER_01 15:55

He's a farmer. He's not even educated. He never went to school. His mom didn't love it. So that is why he wanted his kids to go to school.

SPEAKER_03 16:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:03

So he sent both of us, me and my brother, to school. Really good school, really expensive one.

SPEAKER_03 16:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:09

And that was it. I didn't like the school.

SPEAKER_00 16:11

You didn't like it? Oh join the club.

SPEAKER_01 16:17

I I like in starting years, I probably ran away like multiple times up. But but then slowly you start realizing that this if you want to get out of here, this society that doesn't accept you being weird or being out of place, you need to get out of here. You need to study. Yeah. So around like my eighth year of school, so it's like I put in work to actually be showing my teachers was like, oh, she she she just didn't want to, she can study. She can bring she can bring the grades in. So that's how it started. And then I year 12, I'm out of school. I applied for a nursing.

SPEAKER_02 17:02

Nursing.

SPEAKER_01 17:03

Yes, yes. Okay. It's just like, oh, then I did it for an year, then I got an opportunity to go to another city. I love nursing. Went to an home science college in Chandigar. It's really, really beautiful. So it's my favorite city in India. Like, if you ever go to India, you have to go stay there.

SPEAKER_00 17:23

What's the name of the city?

SPEAKER_01 17:24

Chandigar. It was like designed by an English architecture, uh, architect as well. Oh, it's really beautiful. It's so organized, so pretty. People are nice. Everything, food is nice, really good. So I lived there for four years. But be even before I went there, my dad wanted me to leave the country. He's like, you should you should go wherever like you want to go to Canada. They their preference was Canada.

SPEAKER_02 17:48

I was like, uh why don't you want to go to Canada?

SPEAKER_01 17:52

I think everybody was going there.

SPEAKER_02 17:54

Oh, everybody's going there. I just don't want to be another kid.

SPEAKER_01 17:57

I know, I know. I just didn't want to be with the people I know.

SPEAKER_00 18:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:05

So I just wanted to be with different cultures, different cultures.

SPEAKER_00 18:09

I hope they're not listening.

SPEAKER_01 18:11

It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. They they I don't really I I I hope they understand it. To grow yourself, you actually have to involve yourself with other different cultures, different people. Yeah. Otherwise, you you get stuck in one sort of things. Even here, like I have people from almost every country as as my friends. Yeah. At this point. So like that's what I like. I absorb everything from people that that I that's what I bring into food. Okay, food in India. I just started cooking because my mom was sick most of the time. Um so I was very young when I started cooking for my family.

SPEAKER_03 18:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:48

But it was not because I liked it. It was a responsibility, but then it became something I could always go back to. So that is why I came to New Zealand in 2016 as a student for a cookery school.

SPEAKER_03 19:03

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_01 19:04

Yeah. So yeah, although there was no other way to get into New Zealand for me. So I came as I completed my education here two years. I started working as kitchen hands or front of houses, started learning things. Then I liked the cafe because like I would be working in a cafe cuisine.

SPEAKER_00 19:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:22

It does have to happen.

SPEAKER_00 19:23

Yeah, so you preferred cafe. So when you were going, I'm not going to Canada, what made you choose New Zealand?

SPEAKER_01 19:32

I because at that time it was one of the safest countries for single women. That was my photo. But it's beautiful. The pictures, the photos that come out of New Zealand, the natural beauty, it's like I want to go there. I want to go there. Yeah, that was that was it. So but but safety as a woman was my first choice. It's like, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:55

That's really interesting. Yeah. Especially as a single woman, you don't want to be a child.

SPEAKER_01 20:00

Because you don't have nobody looking after you or for you. Yeah. Yeah. So it's better to have a safer society for you to live in.

SPEAKER_00 20:09

So how many years have you been in New Zealand for now? Ten years. And how often have you visited home to see your mum and dad? You haven't been home. Oh wow. And have your mum and dad been to see you? No. And what about your brother? Where's so where's your brother now?

SPEAKER_01 20:26

Oh he's he's in India. Yeah. He's working on his own things. He was a smart kid, but he's chosen a different past that.

SPEAKER_02 20:38

What does he do?

SPEAKER_01 20:39

He's working on the music at the moment.

SPEAKER_02 20:41

Oh, cool.

SPEAKER_01 20:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:43

Music. Cool. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:44

But I guess he's working on composing and writing at the moment. Oh wow. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:49

So your mom and dad have got some, like that obviously both of you are creative people. Like you're creative and really weird kids. Really weird kids. Now I want to meet your mum and dad.

SPEAKER_01 21:02

They are, they are very nice. Both of them have never held us back at all.

SPEAKER_02 21:08

It sounds like that for posture.

SPEAKER_01 21:10

Posture, you know, like it's very important for for like specifically where I come from. Come from a small village where there's nothing other than other than your families are living, like extended, extended families for generations, you know. Everybody would tell you, people told my dad, like, why are you sending your daughter to a good school? She's just gonna get married, go to another house. What's the point? I'm happy my dad didn't listen to that.

SPEAKER_00 21:35

Yeah. Otherwise, you would have had an arranged marriage proposal.

SPEAKER_03 21:39

Well, I know, I'm robbing heads.

SPEAKER_01 21:42

Yes. And so do you think like your mom and dad are gonna, you know, that do they want to come out here and they would want to go visit, but my dad is busy because he doesn't really have another help at home. Like, because he's still take he he's a film, he's still a farmer, and my mom can't really leave my dad because.

SPEAKER_03 22:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:00

Because we still need to take care of things in the home as well. Yeah. So yeah, things like that. They do want to visit, but they they wanted to come last year as well. But yeah, things happen.

SPEAKER_02 22:11

Well, it's probably better that they come once you've got pink broccoli up to the five years.

SPEAKER_01 22:14

Yes, right. Yes. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 22:16

And then they'll be able to see how amazing your, you know, you've what how well you've done for yourself. And they must be really proud.

SPEAKER_01 22:23

I didn't give up. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:27

So tell it, tell the listeners one dish are you gonna you think Indian dish that you're gonna put on that they won't have tried in an Indian restaurant museum.

SPEAKER_01 22:35

Yeah, for the winters, I can tell you I want to make this uh dish that comes from my place. It's called sali. It's mixed mustard greens, spinach, and you can add aregola. It's mixed up, cooked for hours and thickened, and it's served with a big lump of butter on top. You can have it with the bread or you can have it as uh on the rice. It's so yummy. But I think I think people should bring if you are doing an Indian cooking as an Indian restaurant, you should try to do like a different sauce as well. Do not do that onion tomato same thing with every dish that you're cooking. So that's my problem with Indian Indian restaurants here in New Zealand.

SPEAKER_00 23:16

Well, that you've now got an opportunity to change that because I guarantee you all the listeners out there who love Indian food, the opportunity to go and try some incredible Indian food and vegetarian Indian food is amazing. Absolutely. I used to buy vegetables off a company and they were from India, and occasionally I would get invited to the staff lunch because they knew after I went once and I just loved it. And everything is eating with your fingers. And the food, oh my god, it was nothing like an Indian restaurant. And I'm like, this is Indian food. You do dishes like that, you're gonna have a cue out your door.

SPEAKER_01 23:56

Yes, you know everything tastes different when you cook it with with like real intention of actually bringing an authenticity to the food.

SPEAKER_03 24:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:06

And I know everything has saved in the rest. They're very less. I go to VT station because I do like some of their food. And then there is one chef in Sky City, I forgot the reference name. He's also doing good. He's he's doing sort of, you know, fine-ining sort of, but it's good.

SPEAKER_02 24:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:26

Damn you guys. I'm just yeah, you're getting hungry, right?

SPEAKER_00 24:30

So am I. I'm like.

SPEAKER_01 24:31

So like I I didn't have lunch either.

SPEAKER_00 24:34

So, what are you gonna do with broccoli? You're gonna have to have broccoli a broccoli dish on the menu.

SPEAKER_01 24:39

Yes, I I was thinking of like bang bang broccoli.

SPEAKER_00 24:43

There you go. Bang bang broccoli.

SPEAKER_01 24:45

Like, like dip it in, like make a battery dip it in, fry it, and the sauce that is a bit spicy, sweet, tangy.

SPEAKER_00 24:54

Yes, I'm excited for bang bang broccoli.

SPEAKER_01 24:57

Maybe if you want to have something more like maybe a broccoli steak on top of a pink hummus.

SPEAKER_02 25:04

Oh, broccoli steak.

SPEAKER_01 25:06

You could add like anything on top of a protein. If you are vegetarian, you could ask for maybe halloumi.

SPEAKER_03 25:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:14

Or if we have a panee, I could add some pane on top of it. Or if you are vegan, we could add a tofu on it, a spicy spicy.

SPEAKER_00 25:23

Toasted pine nuts over the top. Something like that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:26

This is terrible. I'm just like now in my mind, I'm like, oh my god. I didn't know what's it. I I actually made last year, I made broccoli soup. Oh, really? It's so yummy. It's like I never would have thought broccoli soup would be something nice. But my my stepson was like, Oh, can you make me broccoli soup? So of course I googled broccoli soup. And then I was like, oh, jeez. It's pretty simple. Man, it was good.

SPEAKER_01 25:54

Yeah, I make it with the coconut coconut cream. That's how it's so yummy. It's so yummy. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:00

So what what would be another like from a sweet dish in India?

SPEAKER_01 26:06

Like what Indian sweets are very hard to make, and I think they are too sweet for people that are not born in India.

SPEAKER_02 26:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:15

They are full of sugar.

SPEAKER_02 26:16

So so what would be your ultimate?

SPEAKER_01 26:19

So for me, I would do a carrot cake sort of buns. We call it we call it halba sort of, you know, it's like a delight, but it's like still very like it's not shaped or anything. But if you put that thing into a dough, you make a bun out of it, and then you make certain certain sweet sauce with cream and condensed milk and put pistachias on top of it.

SPEAKER_00 26:51

This is just terrible, right? You know, the best carrot cake I've ever had was a carrot and pineapple cake.

SPEAKER_01 26:58

Oh, yes, yes, because pineapple adds the acidity to it. And yeah, it's so nice and adds moisture to it.

SPEAKER_00 27:04

Yeah. I know you could almost put the Dubai pistachio on top, which would be kind of yummy. Because pistachio cream is just I know.

SPEAKER_02 27:18

Well, this is really exciting though, and I I think one of the things I reckon having talked to you when you got here this morning, and you know, you're starting to sign things and you're starting to get stuff underway. Simon and I have we've signed up to help you out. But I think that one of the things I've noticed over my time in business is just making sure you're surround yourself with the right people, the supportive people. And anybody who's negative, they can bagger off because they're not gonna bring anything to your work. You know, what you need uplifting, you need the support, you need the wrap around.

SPEAKER_01 27:55

So I that thing I had to learn the hard way. Not not not in this situation, like a few years back.

SPEAKER_02 28:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:02

So yes, I I have done my work around people. I have kept people who has uplifted me, has been happy for me in things I have been doing, have been kind, have I don't like my people like very negative sort of things.

SPEAKER_03 28:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:19

So I just I don't say I don't want to, like I just move myself. Move away. Yeah. I was like, I just move myself on that. I think it's very important because I think a lot.

unknown 28:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:30

You say me one wrong word, it becomes a pink broccoli.

SPEAKER_00 28:37

I think the key is when you're looking for new people is to employ on their attitude. You know, if you really like them and you think when somebody walks in the door, they're gonna welcome everybody like their long-lost friend. Yeah. You can train everything else, you can work with them. If they really want to be part of your dream and help make it happen for you, that's pretty cool. And I that those are the people you want. And you know, I walked in there the other day, and the guy behind the counter making the coffee, I felt that from him straight away. He didn't really need to say anything, it was just the way he smiled at me. I just got that good feeling. And people pick up on that. You know, people walk into a cafe, a restaurant, a deli, wherever, and within about three seconds they've formed an opinion. Yeah. Did you smile? Were you happy? Was it a nice greeting?

SPEAKER_03 29:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:35

And did you keep smiling or did you turn to that as Kate's got this great saying and she's called calls it the resting bitch face? You know, it's like we like smiles, we like, you know. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 29:48

And I think the other thing as well, like just from uh I've learnt over ye over the years, because that like people call like you, you know, become an influencer. I say I call myself a binfluencer because all I do is talk about rubbish.

SPEAKER_01 30:02

Um, I've been watching it.

SPEAKER_02 30:06

But one of the things just to be aware of, like, especially when you get such a following, is people who are looking to leverage themselves off you.

SPEAKER_03 30:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:17

And I think that's where like things like following and that can be very exciting. And all of a sudden you get people who are, oh, can you do this for me? Or like people are like, Oh, I can come in and I can do a thing and get a free lunch and I call that video. I I did get messages like that, but I was like, oh, we're not open uh yeah, but also that you're you've got enough followers, you don't need to go give some people some free lunch to get some more followers.

SPEAKER_00 30:45

I was amazed at how many people commented on your Instagram, the pink broccoli, saying, Yeah, come and cook for me.

SPEAKER_01 30:51

Yes. And I was like, I would I would love to do that, but I would love to do it as a c collective. I don't want to go to someone's house and cook for them.

SPEAKER_00 31:02

Yeah. The one thing you are gonna have a lot of people pitching to you, they've got a charity. Could you donate or cook or could they come and so I get I would get multiple every week asking. And I pick and choose. Yes. Uh I've got one coming up. Uh lady rang me and said, I'm the care uh for a lady that I'd met in the gym that couldn't walk. And I and she was her mission was to walk out, and that's years and years ago. And they reached out to me and said, Guess what? She can walk. And I said, I'm cooking your lunch. The next Wednesday, I've got them coming in. Yes, and we're gonna film it because it'll be a cool story. Yeah, she's so excited, she wants to be on a video. You know, I love those stories.

SPEAKER_03 31:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:51

Whereas all you'll get a bunch of emails come in and they're sent to hundreds of people, but they make it, they get the first line, yeah, and you know, they don't say, Hey, I'm a regular customer, they're just like, Will you donate this? or yeah, my son's in the rowing team. And it's like, so get ready for that, and you've got to. My problem is I say yes, wait too much, and I've just started actually growing a set of balls and going, you know what? I'm full up with those sort of things. And you know, I I had one just recently in the last few days, and I said, Look, I'm sorry, I'm putting putting a stop to all these things. I'm you know, doing some business changes, and came back, and the reply was, Well, this would have been your target market trying to make me feel bad. It's like, I'm done with that. Yeah, you know, yeah, and when you get a problem and it's that thing, I'm wondering how to deal with that. That's when just jump on the phone to either cater myself and we're here to help. We want to see this journey grow. I want you to make Simon Squibbs proud that he invested in the right person. I'm 100% convinced that you're the right person. Yeah. And I think you're gonna do absolutely fantastic, but it's okay to fail. Just fix it fast, recognize it, and move on. You know, there'll be mistakes, but with your personality and you can cook, right? And that's the way to people's heart, right? Smiles and what you put in their belly. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:28

Yes, absolutely. I think that's what I like about this career as well. It helps me meet people.

SPEAKER_02 33:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:37

You can meet all sorts of people, good and bad, but it just puts me out there. It has been very hard, to be honest, because I don't know what happened when I came here. I just got back into cocoon, like, you know, cocoon, and it was very hard to get out and meet people.

SPEAKER_03 33:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:52

So I think that's that has helped me connect with people. That's how I met all of my friends here that I have, like of my age, or people I've worked with. That's that's how I met that. That's what I like about this.

SPEAKER_00 34:05

Yeah, yeah. Is New Zealand home now?

SPEAKER_01 34:07

Yes, it's a home now. Yeah, I don't think so. I would be able to live anywhere else other than New Zealand.

SPEAKER_00 34:14

Yeah, well, that's cool. I think you're a Kiwi now, right?

SPEAKER_01 34:18

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:19

And and an asset to this country. So thank you for that.

SPEAKER_02 34:23

Thank you so much. Yeah. Well, I think that's probably us for this this round.

SPEAKER_00 34:29

And what a what an honor to have you here. You know, you're super famous, man.

SPEAKER_01 34:35

I am happy I'm sitting with two people, most famous people of New Zealand. There are not many.

SPEAKER_02 34:44

Not many in New Zealand. That's very good.

SPEAKER_01 34:46

This is so exciting because uh who would have thought I would be sitting with you too. You know, a management is looking for a job.

SPEAKER_00 34:54

Well, we're pretty happy to be sitting with you anyway, and even more excited to visit the pink broccoli.

SPEAKER_01 35:01

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 35:01

After probably, do you think April will be opening roughly? But we'll leave it on.

SPEAKER_01 35:05

Yes, everything goes as we plan. And everything from my end is a done deal.

SPEAKER_02 35:11

Go. Done deal.

SPEAKER_01 35:15

It's the other end of it.

SPEAKER_02 35:18

Well, there is so cold. And um, it is a wreck. Yeah. Yeah, you wanna test it. You wanna finish it off, son?

SPEAKER_00 35:29

You're just gonna do it. I started it's good to go. Come on. And that's the podcast for today with diamond gold and the extraordinary talented man from the pink.