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About Us

Family, food and a café built to feel like home.

Tasse Café brings together the warmth of Filipino hospitality, familiar Kiwi café favourites and the simple pleasure of sharing good food with people you care about.

Ave working as a chef
Ave’s Journey

A Dream That Travelled With Her

Ave’s culinary journey began in Iloilo City, Philippines, where her love of food took her from culinary training to becoming a trainer herself.

In 2011, she came to New Zealand to continue her studies. What began as education became a career in professional kitchens across Napier, Arrowtown and Dunedin, progressing into senior and head-chef roles.

“One day, I wanted to own a restaurant abroad.” — Ave

From Iloilo to New Zealand. From student to trainer, chef and café owner. Today, that dream has a home — Tasse Café.

Our Story

From a Dream to Tasse Café

A journey through food, love, family and a dream they never gave up on.

Carl and Ave as chefs Carl and Ave together in New Zealand Carl and Ave together among flowers Carl and Ave with their young family Carl and Ave with their two sons
“I came to New Zealand with a dream. What I didn’t expect was to meet Carl — my teacher, who would eventually become my fellow chef, my partner in life, and my husband.” — Ave
“What started in the classroom became a life we built together. We became chefs, fell in love, built a family, and were blessed with two wonderful boys.” — Carl & Ave

And the dream became ours.

We learned that dreams can take time and life can lead you somewhere you never expected. Keep believing, keep working, and never give up on what you want to build.

Student & Teacher → Chefs → Partners → Husband & Wife → Mum & Dad → Tasse Café
A Story to Inspire

Keep going. Your dream may be closer than you think.

Our journey was never a straight line. We studied, worked, learned, became a family and kept believing in the dream we wanted to build. Our two boys became part of that dream too — reminding us why we keep going.

Tasse Café is proof to us that dreams can take time, change shape and still come true.

Carl and Ave with their two boys Carl and Ave family together in New Zealand Carl and Ave celebrating with their family
Our Team

Different strengths, one kitchen — cooked together, served on the table.

Meet the people behind Tasse Café. Their training, experience and credentials bring together hospitality, food, family and the determination to build something meaningful in Dunedin.

Ave, Chef and Co-owner of Tasse Café

Ave

Chef · Co-owner

Experience & Background

Born in Iloilo City, Philippines, Ave built her career around culinary arts, hospitality and teaching. While completing a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management, majoring in Culinary Arts, she trained at KRYZ Culinary Arts and Restaurant Services Institute and later became a qualified trainer in community- and institution-based programmes, including Commercial Cooking NC II training.

In February 2011, Ave moved to New Zealand to continue her culinary education, completing Cookery Levels 3 and 4 at Futurecol in Hastings. Her professional kitchen journey included Daville Cafe in Napier and Jossy Bar in Arrowtown, where she progressed to Head Chef. Today, she brings that training, experience and Filipino food heritage to Tasse Café.

Carl, Chef and Co-owner of Tasse Café

Carl

Chef · Co-owner

Experience & Background

Born in Iloilo City, Philippines, Ave built her career around culinary arts, hospitality and teaching. While completing a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management, majoring in Culinary Arts, she trained at KRYZ Culinary Arts and Restaurant Services Institute and later became a qualified trainer in community- and institution-based programmes, including Commercial Cooking NC II training.

In February 2011, Ave moved to New Zealand to continue her culinary education, completing Cookery Levels 3 and 4 at Futurecol in Hastings. Her professional kitchen journey included Daville Cafe in Napier and Jossy Bar in Arrowtown, where she progressed to Head Chef. Today, she brings that training, experience and Filipino food heritage to Tasse Café.

Pinoy, Tasse Café Team

Michael

Assistant

Experience & Background

Born in Iloilo City, Philippines, Ave built her career around culinary arts, hospitality and teaching. While completing a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management, majoring in Culinary Arts, she trained at KRYZ Culinary Arts and Restaurant Services Institute and later became a qualified trainer in community- and institution-based programmes, including Commercial Cooking NC II training.

In February 2011, Ave moved to New Zealand to continue her culinary education, completing Cookery Levels 3 and 4 at Futurecol in Hastings. Her professional kitchen journey included Daville Cafe in Napier and Jossy Bar in Arrowtown, where she progressed to Head Chef. Today, she brings that training, experience and Filipino food heritage to Tasse Café.

Mornington, Dunedin

Come in for something familiar. Discover something new.

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