Meet the team

Hi, we are Mel and Michael. We are the owners of Relish.

We are the third custodians of Relish Café, and in the last 9 years, we have built a brand that hosts our community Monday through to Saturday. We are proud of the space we have created and the people we have working alongside us daily. We are married and have two boys, 13 and 10, so when we are not in the café, we can be found running around after them, with schooling, sporting and social commitments. On our Sundays which are cherished family days, we can be found wandering (and eating) at the Evandale Markets, driving to walk along a beach somewhere or enjoying a slow day in our home, getting ready for the week ahead.

 

Mel

I love food and love to eat, cook and explore different cuisines and recipes.  I also love to make coffee and am always wanting to pour the perfect latte.  I am proud of the state I grew up in and all things local and artisan and am so happy that this approach is more evident and widely practised within our community than ever before.   I have a great love for our industry and the people and possibilities within it. 

I adore my husband, who is also my business partner and I love working with him each day.  Travel is a great love of mine,  and although I have travelled extensively, I look forward to doing this again more frequently.  My two favourite places in the world to travel to are Port Douglas and Paris where I can readily indulge in my favourite things - great food, cheese and bread, wine, margaritas and great conversations

Michael

I love to cook, in fact, I am always thinking about food in some form, whether it is cooking, baking, experimenting, eating, or looking at recipes – it is such a passion for me.  I also love to keep active, so I make time to regularly get to the gym.  I am a collector of Hot wheels, mostly Japanese cars, and also love building and driving remote control cars.  I collect basketball cards and trade regularly with my two boys.  I will watch and enjoy almost every sport but am an avid Canberra Raiders and the NSW Blues fan, always have been, always will be.

I drink a flat white, and until recently, you would rarely hear me reject an offer of coffee.  I love to drink and make beer, drink wine and I really enjoy a good negroni.

I have always wanted to be in this industry, I enjoy the art of teaching and sharing skills with others.  I am proud to open the doors every day and see people enjoying the space that we have created, we hope to share more places and spaces in time with you.

Sam

I have worked at Relish for 9 years and am the FOH supervisor. I have seen a lot of changes over my time at Relish, and I still love my job as I did the day I started.

I love everything about my job, making coffee, the conversations, the friendships, and most of all the connections I have made with customers.  

I am a Virgo with a big personality. love a chat and am always up for a laugh.

If I am not whipping around the cafe, I am spending time with my Family. I have 3 children and we love exploring this beautiful state we call home.

I would love to travel one day if I get the chance and explore other parts of the world; Japan, South Africa and New Zealand are on my shortlist.

My choice of coffee is a vanilla latte, and you will rarely hear me turn down a coffee. I love coffee!!!!

I love welcoming new faces to the cafe and of course our regular clientele.

Hope to see you soon.

Vee

Hi, I’m Vee! I’m a Barista at Relish and a fulltime mum and wife.

You’ll find me behind the coffee machine, chatty sometimes, smiling at most times. It’s me!

I’ve been in Australia since 2011 and moved to Tassie in 201. It was such a life-changing decision. At first, I was so afraid and worried because everything about this beautiful island was so different from the “mainland” (I learned this word only after I moved to Tassie). Soon I realised it was one of the best decisions we’ve made. My husband and I love every single thing here, especially the people, the weather, the landscape, the nature… Thus, we decided to settle down on this land and welcomed our daughter, Gracie.

When I first met Mel for my interview, I felt very welcomed and comfortable talking with this beautiful lady and was eager to be a part of the team. So, Mel and Michael gave me a chance and I started working at Relish in February 2021, really hoping I could contribute to this wonderful business for so much longer. I’ve learned that “There is no such thing as can’t” (Thanks to Jorja so I know how to state this in English).

What makes me feel so in love with my job? Well, it allows me to present myself, to be what I am (chatty, love seeing and caring for others…). Secondly, Relish’ has been the best workplace for me so far. The crew is very supportive and makes me feel like we are a FAMILY (even outside of work). Especially, the management is very flexible and caring for all individuals to ensure we have a “work-life balance”. Lastly, I have the chance to meet and talk with so many lovely customers, and they’ve become a part of my ordinary life.

I love playing with Gracie, socialising, and travelling. I REALLY enjoy cooking. When I’m not doing these things, you can find me relaxing with a coffee (latte, full cream milk, no sugar) or catching up on my favourite dramas.

MeRISSA

I am the youngest member of the team at Relish. I started my adventure in hospitality here and I am excited about all the opportunities that this industry can provide - maybe even to travel and work in Paris, I’ve always wanted to go there! I am currently undertaking my certificate 3 in hospitality.

I love to cook, to draw and paint. I enjoy listening to music when I have down time and I also look forward and plan to try and do new things.

I feel like hospitality suits me well as I love to make people happy and make them smile, I Iove to chat, laugh with people and build relationships.

NAVODA

Hey there,

I’m Navoda, and I’ve been working at Relish Cafe since 2023. My journey in hospitality started right after I got my degree, and I find great fulfillment in working within this dynamic industry. I genuinely enjoy what I do here—creating beautiful dishes day in and day out.

The way our kitchen operates is top-notch, and I admire the consistent quality we maintain.

Off the clock, I’m all about trying new cuisines and enjoying a good beer or spirit with my favorite people. I’m always up for checking out new spots and seeing how they do things, although I have to say, none of them quite match up to Relish Cafe’s breakfast offerings—I’m pretty proud of that! (Go figure!)

I’ve been in love with Tasmania since arriving in 2019. Traveling is my passion; I’ve explored most parts of Tasmania and love discovering new landscapes. Sunsets and sunrises are my thing—I can’t get enough of those stunning skies. And of course, music and dancing add that extra spice to my life!

When I’m not in the kitchen, you’ll find me out and about, soaking up the stunning landscapes and chasing those epic sunrises and sunsets anywhere in Australia.

My biggest dream is to travel to Europe. Exploring Europe will allow me to open up to new experiences, delve into different cultures, and create memories I’ll cherish forever.

Come and enjoy good food, great company, and memorable moments at Relish!

Stephanie

My name is Stephanie. I came to Australia to study Patisserie and Hospitality, and I have been in and around it since then. 

I have recently become and Mum and at the moment I am enjoying some special time at home with Thea, which is why you haven’t seen me in the cafe for a while.

I love my lattes, and in my spare time, I really enjoy watching different videos about recipes for different foods and baked goods.

Not long after I came to Launceston, I met the Relish family, and it has been such an incredible journey of learning and building relationships with everyone.

ADRIAN

Hi, I’m Adrian!

I am a passionate learner who loves helping our customers out! I’m still learning every day and always appreciate advice and encouragement.

Relish was my first ‘real’ job and I’ve grown to love every aspect. I started out in our kitchen washing dishes and when I’m not helping in the back you can find me out the front on Saturdays and during Holidays.

Our friendly team has been the most wonderful, supportive group to help teach me new skills and I feel so blessed to come into work every time not to mention our amazing regular customers who have supported me through my learning journey.

I love crafting, especially crochet and I’m a learner of the French language (though I can’t say I’m all that fluent)

I’m always ready to have a conversation and talk to our lovely customers!


ALEX

I have loved working with food since I was little, and some of my most cherished memories are cooking with my family.

I used to frequent Relish when I was younger with my family, and when given the opportunity to work here, I was overjoyed.

When not working, I am heavily involved in local theatre, working backstage on many local productions. In my downtime I love playing guitar, crocheting, and spending time with my family and friends.

I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work at Relish with such amazing people.

SOPHIA

Hi there, I'm Sophia!

I am (and always have been) looking for new opportunities to improve my knowledge in both customer service and time management, so once I found that Relish were looking for a person eager to learn new things, I was more than thrilled!

The friendly and supportive team here at Relish always make me proud to be working in such a welcoming environment, but when I am not doing my part for the team, I am typically at home listening to records, watching old movies, or drawing. I'm a total retro enthusiast and really love chatting it with people of all ages.

But my absolute most favourite perk of working at Relish? Hands down, is the care the team offers. Whether it'd on my break, being able to try all the different foods and desserts they offer, or off, and being guided and encouraged throughout the day, I am always looking forward to be able to come in on each day and know that I am in the hands of great people.