23/10/2026
"Some visits stay with you forever. ❤️
Conrad, my first chef at Don Luciano, came to see me today with his wife.
In 2017 I had a dream: bring Latin American street food to Masterton, something the town had never seen. Conrad came from big corporate kitchens, and this was his first role as head chef. Together we built the breakfast, lunch and dessert menus from scratch. He was nervous, and I told him, 'Just trust me.' We laughed a lot, and he made the best eggs and the best po' boy sandwich in town.
Years go by, but loyalty and good memories stay. Conrad still tells everyone in Hawke's Bay about Gracias Coffee, and his boss now orders our coffee online because of him! Thank you, Conrad. ☕
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