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The fish and chip shop has been a renowned focal point in Leigh but has been closed for the past year. The couple bought the shop earlier this year and have spent three months refitting the building before opening last month.
“We want bring downtown Leigh back to life with a space for people to meet up for coffee and buy fresh fish and chips and sweet treats,” Wax says. “Our fish is from Leigh Fisheries and we serve organic fairtrade coffee from Eighthirty Coffee Roasters.”
The couple have decades of experience in hospitality, helping establish Black Dog Cafe in Matakana, Bennetts of Mangawhai and Catalina Cafe in Hobsonville Point.
They first met working at Leigh Sawmill Cafe nearly 20 years ago, shortly after it opened.
Rachael grew up in Leigh. Her father Ross was a keen fisherman and was manager of the fishery for a time. She is Ngati wai, a descendant of Rahui Te Kiri.
Wax moved to Leigh after managing bars in Sydney and London.
“I found my spiritual home in Leigh. Ever since I’ve wanted to put down roots here.”
The couple worked at the Leigh Sawmill, where Rachael was trained as a chef by Annabelle and Ben Guniness and found her love for cooking. They also helped Lindesay Smith and Angela Stechman from Matakana coffee rosters set up Black Dog Cafe in Matakana.
They relocated to Kaiwaka eight years ago when their first child, Sonny, was born and helped establish Bennetts of Mangawhai.
Six years ago they started Catalina Cafe in a former air force building at the Hobsonville Point development, where they worked until last year.
“We were the first business there before the development started. It was our job to attract people to the area and form a focus for the community.
“The cafe was hugely successful, but it outgrew us. We wanted a simpler lifestyle and moved to Leigh last year to raise our family in this idyllic area.”
