EntErtainmEnt
The couple began exploring the possibility of
producing tempeh commercially while they
were overseas, during which time Matt’s dad
had been experimenting with making it at
home in Marlborough.
“When we got back I learned from [Matt’s
dad] how to make it and I thought ‘I can do
this, and people would love it’, and suddenly I
was making it,” Tati says.
Traditionally a soy product, Tati has been
getting creative with new flavours and
ingredients, and the couple have been selling
it at The Nelson Market on Saturdays and the
Marlborough Farmers’ Market on Sundays.
The venture was one of many ideas floated
during their two-and-a-half-years overseas.
“That was the first time in our lives where we
didn’t really have any plan and that’s exactly
the way we wanted it, that’s why it was
exciting,” Matt says.
“There were about three months where we
almost didn’t utter the word Ritual, we didn’t
really talk to people about it and we managed
to just drop it and move on, which was great.
Eventually we started telling strangers about
the cafe and then not long after that the ideas
for our next project started, and there were
a bunch.”
While the pair knew moving back to
New Zealand was a high possibility, they
hadn’t locked in Blenheim as their return
destination.
With the art of making tempeh mastered,
and a vision to attract travelling musicians to
Blenheim as they passed through to or from
the Cook Strait ferries, the pair began looking
for a spot which had both a commercial
kitchen, and a cosy front of house space.
They came across their venue in The
Warehouse car park, formerly known as
Gecko Junction, and set to work making
tempeh on a commercial scale and making
contact with potential acts.
Since opening in July, the couple have hosted
around a dozen performances, generally
those with an alternative music style.
“It’s the sort of music that we enjoy and
there’s a small scene for it here in Blenheim
… we like to host these lesser known acts but
we’ve been lucky enough to be able to host
some really well established musicians also,”
Matt says.
The small space generally means tickets
are limited and sell quickly, but it makes for
intimate shows where the artist is on the
same level as the audience.
“It’s great because these bigger acts sell
out, so for them it feels great, for us it
feels great and for the people it feels great
because they feel like they are part of
something,” Tati says.
The small scale of the venue also enables
them to host their guests well, and it
makes event promotion a less onerous task
as the pair both juggle multiple other ‘day
jobs’, Matt says.
“With all of our stuff it’s manageable, we
don’t have to go crazy every working hour
managing promotion and things, we just
sort of let a few friends know and whisper
it through our social media sites and a cozy
crowd will usually turn up,” he laughs.
Vegan meals are on the menu for guests,
and an eclectic range of seating creates a
sense of homeliness. The ultimate goal for
the couple is to bring people of all walks of
life together.
“Live music is incredible because it has
the ability to sort of knock people into
being present, and what a great thing that
is … I think watching a person get up in
front of people and believe in themselves
is exciting, and can be a truly powerful
thing to behold. To be able to experience
that with a range of people, people that
are seemingly strangers; bringing folks
together, I love that”.
The Plant
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