Pink Donkey - Porirua City Centre

I have been cooking, both domestically and commercially, from about 15 years of age. I have always been comfortable in a kitchen and know my way around well. In my early twenties I did a Diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Management. That led to a series of other qualifications, all centered around hospitality. 

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Born and bred in Singapore, from Ceylonese Tamil stock, I grew up learning the food culture of Southeast Asia. I learned to bring my Ceylonese culture and infuse it with my surroundings. Both are very rich – Southeast Asia had very different food and different cooking styles, yet somehow, they all came together. It is this rich experience that I wanted to introduce to New Zealand.

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Having cooked for my friends regularly in New Zealand, I decided to start producing just one item for sale. That item was the now popular lamb curry puff. So, back in 2013, I started Pink Donkey Catering Limited. Armed with the believe that we were ready, my cousin and I set up shop in Porirua. The plan was to commercially produce curry puffs. I purchased a curry puff machine from China and away we went. Unfortunately, the machine did not perform to expectation and we had to import yet another curry puff machine. That too was no different. What I did discover along the way was that the curry puffs were a hit. People who had tried it, loved it. So, I was confident my recipe was perfect, just my method of production and delivery needed more work. It wasn’t surprising that that venture ended up in a loss. We shut shop and went our separate ways. However, I kept the company, Pink Donkey Catering Limited alive, with the hope that one day soon, I would try again. 

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Fast-forward to 2019, having financially recovered somewhat from my 2013 debacle, this time my wife and I embarked on another venture. Encouraged by colleagues and friends, we knew that we had to make our food available to the public. This time it felt different. This time it felt right. Instead of mass production, we decided to start a food truck. It would be more about direct selling, instead of mass production. While my wife, Aileen, hadn’t cooked commercially, she was keen to try out her style of cooking. She is an amazing cook and we work well together.

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A food truck is a totally different concept which was somewhat foreign to us. We spent a lot of time and effort researching the idea. We went wherever we found food trucks; markets, events, festivals etc. Eventually we sat down and drew up the plans for our food truck. We designed it and had it built in China. It arrived in January 2020. That was a momentous day for us - we got to see our plans, ideas and dream, slowing coming together. The food truck was almost ready. We still had a few small items to sort out and we also wanted a specific French griddle installed. That took a wee while, with Covid-19 emerging. Finally, when the food truck was about ready to hit the road, New Zealand went into lockdown! That was a huge blow.

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Once the lockdown was lifted, we started operating at the Riverbank Market in Lower Hutt on Saturdays. That did not last long because we went back into a semi-lockdown when the market was closed again. The few times we managed to sell at the market, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was an amazing experience which we both enjoyed. The desire to serve others, to entertain and to bring joy to their palate has always been high on our list. We were achieving it, somehow. We are fully aware that it will take time for us to get to where we want to be. All good things take time and patience.

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We have been knocked over several times throughout this journey, and that is normal when pursuing your dreams. What’s important is having the ability to stand up again, dust yourself off and continue from where you left off. Your scars remind you of the lessons you have learnt but they also provide you with the impetus to succeed.

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There is still a lot to learn about the food truck business because it’s a very different way to do business. We have been lucky in that the other food trucks around us have been very supportive and helpful, encouraging us at every juncture. The food is the easiest part for us, since we are both pretty good cooks; it’s the food truck maintenance, towing the truck, marketing etc that is all new to us. Best part is, we are enjoying ourselves. It is hard work, but it’s very rewarding. Our market days start at 3.00am!! You have to love it to wake up at that hour of the day!

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We are able to bring our Filipino, Ceylonese and Southeast Asian cultures, heritage and experiences to the fore. We are able to celebrate who we really are through our food and hospitality.

Cyril & Aileen