WHEN MINING MANAGER STEPHEN HOVENS WAS TOLD HIS NEXT POSITION WOULD TAKE HIM TO WEST AFRICA IT WAS A MOMENT FOR A LIFE CHANGING DECISION...
CAFE 445 WAS BORN!
As a mine manager did he want to continue spending months away from home and be absent from family and friends for sometimes up to eight months of the year. After 30 years this was something he no longer wanted to do.
He decided to not accept the new position but to come home to a totally different occupation: running a cafe.
Part of his management role had included overseeing the commercial kitchen at the mining camp, so he already had the skills of ordering and overseeing the quality control of foods.
But when he told family and friends that he was going to open a café the response was a blunt, ‘You’re an idiot.’
Not easily dissuaded Stephen took on the job of kitchen hand at a Berwick café where he learnt the basics of running a good café.
After a year he was well prepared and ready to take over as owner Cafe445 in Officer.
Off the busy Princes Hwy and close to the Coles service station it’s positioned for easy access both for the on the run tradie or a mother taking a bit of ‘me time’ after dropping off the kids at school.
During the week the café is open for breakfast and lunch. For those wanting to satisfy that mid-morning need for a pick me up, there is always a range of cakes and snacks to choose from.
The weekends see a change to a restaurant menu.
As we all know cafes are judged by the quality of coffee served and the Zest coffee at Café 445 will not disappoint.
Nor would the specialty Indian Chai, so popular now. Made traditionally on a stove to extract the most flavour from the authentically Indian spices such as cardamom, fennel and ginger, it is the perfect drink for any time of the day.
If you prefer hot chocolate you will enjoy a drink made from the highest quality Chocolate Supreme.
Breakfast can be from coffee and croissant to pancakes to eggs; scrambled poached or whichever way you like to an Acai bowl. The smashed avocado comes with house-made beetroot hummus, crumbled feta, avocado, a poached egg and almond dukah.
People with specific dietary needs are well looked after. There are many choices for those who are vegetarians, gluten intolerant or vegan.
The lunchtime menu includes the house specialty of mushroom croquettes served with homemade basil sauce, aioli, salad mix, egg and halloumi. There are plenty other options: from burgers to a super food bowl for the health conscious.
In our dog loving culture it’s important to know whether our canine best friends are welcome or not. At Café 445 dogs are very welcome in the generous outside area where they can enjoy free doggy treats and puppychinos.
The Cafe is airy and spacious and big enough to hold events of up to 30 people. and is equally accommodating for anyone with a mobility aid. It is easy to enter, navigate and order for people with different needs or indeed parents with prams.
At many cafes convenient parking is a problem, so the free all day parallel parking at the café entrance is a bonus for speedy phone orders and pickup.
The café enjoys the patronage of the adjacent hub which is home to NDIS and medical, dental and health allied services. But it’s also locals who have discovered this welcoming café as a place to meet a friend, pop in before a work shift or have a small meeting away from a work place.
It also seems like an ideal place for a book discussion group or similar. And Stephen is also happy to be approached by local artists to possibly have their work showcased.
Cafes are also judged by the staff and how they interact with customers.
The staff are warm efficient and knowledgeable and undoubtedly Stephen’s background of working with people is evident in the easy way he welcomes customers.
There are many cafes but few that stand out as good cafés that not only serve the needs of the local community, welcome the passer -by but most importantly take pride in the food they serve.
Café 445 is well on the way to achieving this goal.
Stephen’s family and friends may have to change their minds.
