Chef Series: Punnet Eatery, Tamahere

Chef Series with Harriet Boucher, Punnet Eatery

Punnet Eatery at The Country Providore in Tamahere is one of those places that feels like a proper Waikato destination. With a playground out front, multiple pockets of seating (including a back bench that doubles as a weekday office), and a menu full of comforting classics and seasonal specials, it’s a favourite with locals, families and travellers alike. As long-time wholesale partners, we recently caught up with head chef Harriet Boucher to hear about her journey, the busy kitchen, and what’s new on the menu.

Meet the Chef: Harriet Boucher

How did you first come to work at Punnet?

I started here back in 2021 making take-home meals and helping with the lunch boxes in the mornings. At the time I was also working part-time at Nourish magazine, so I was juggling a few things. When Nourish went full-time I left, went overseas with my partner, then came back to Punnet full-time at the end of 2023. I’ve been back nearly three years now. It really does feel like coming home. Haley (one of the owners) was my surf lifesaving coach when I was eight, so I’ve known the family forever.

What got you into chefing?

I did two years at Wintec. I’ve always loved food and didn’t really know what else I wanted to do. In Year 12 I thought owning a food truck would be amazing… now I know there’s no way — the stress, the hours, the margins! But I’ve always loved cooking, and that hasn’t changed.

What’s the team and kitchen like?

We’ve got a big team, around eight chefs plus kitchen hands, so 14–15 people total. It’s one of the bigger cafés in the area. Take-home meals are a big part of what we do, but they’re fitted in around our main priorities: service of the hotline and growing our catering. There’s no dedicated person just doing the freezing and packing, it slots in wherever we can make it work.

How busy does Punnet get?

The space is huge, with seating everywhere — the main café area, courtyard, riders’ patio, a back bench area, and even another whole room. Last Sunday we sold 440 coffees. Mother’s Day is our biggest day, with over 500 covers. A typical weekend is more like 200–300. We’re open 364 days a year — closed only on Christmas. It’s full-on, but we love it.

How do you approach the menu?

It’s heavily influenced by our customers and what they need — we try to cater to dietary requirements wherever possible. We have our “Punnet classics” that never leave, like the chilli scrambled eggs (sometimes with a little revamp) and eggs benedict variations. Everything else changes seasonally, three or four times a year. A new menu is actually launching tomorrow! It has to work at volume, practical dishes that flow well in the kitchen and tick multiple boxes for customers. We’re not doing fine-dining finicky stuff here.

What’s new and exciting on the menu right now?

I’m really excited about the brioche French toast we’re launching tomorrow. People have been asking for it for ages. I got a hot plate as my maternity leave return present and now the whole team, and our customers get to enjoy it! We tested it as a weekend special and it went crazy, we estimated 45 portions for the weekend and sold 28 on the first day alone. We had to scramble to get more brioche from all the stores. It’s going to be a keeper, with seasonal changes. We’ve even added a gluten-free version using Lucy’s gluten-free bread, It’s lovely to finally have a sweet GF option, especially since we’re known for being really good with gluten-free.

How’s catering going?

Catering has been a big focus since I came back in 2023. We do a mix of corporate lunches (tomorrow we’re doing a 65-person lunch in Cambridge with sandwiches, croissants, pastries, fruit and slices) and full banquet dinners, but done as pickup-and-heat-at-home style. It’s not full private-chef in-home service — it’s more takeaway catering so people can pretend they cooked it themselves. We’re constantly refining the offering and leaning into that convenience point of difference. It’s working really well.

What’s your favourite Volare product?

We’ve been using Volare for a really long time, it was already here when I first worked in 2021, and most places I’ve worked have used it too. As a customer, my favourite is the Ham and Cheese pockets. In the kitchen I love the Cumin, Onion & Turmeric — I’ve started using it for our chilli scrambled eggs instead of plain white bread. It adds so much extra flavour and our customers really love it.

What’s next for Punnet?

We really want to keep growing the catering side and refining that pickup/heat-at-home model. We’ll also grow the take-home meals range where we can. At 16 years old as a business, we just want to stay relevant, keep the quality high, and keep creating a place our community loves. With young kids around too, it’s all about balance and making it work for families.

If you’re in the Waikato, Punnet Eatery is well worth the stop, excellent coffee, a playground the kids will love, and plenty of Volare bread and pastries doing their thing in the kitchen and on the menu. Follow them on Instagram or Facebook for the latest specials and menu updates.