Vintage Chef Teagan Carpenter to open cafe at Starplex in Gawler

She started doorknocking at local wineries – now this mum of three runs a multimillion-dollar hospitality business employing more than 50. Here’s Teagan Carpenter’s next move.

This down-to-earth Barossa mum-of-three has created a multi-layer, multimillion-dollar hospitality business, employing more than 50 locals. Picture: Supplied

A down-to-earth Barossa mum has turned a passion born out of spending time in her family’s restaurant as a child into a multi-layer, multimillion-dollar hospitality business, employing more than 50 locals.

Now, the high-energy founder of Vintage Chef Co, Teagan Carpenter, has her sights set on expanding further, starting with a takeover – and planned makeover – of the Starplex cafe at Gawler.

She took over the site – inside the sprawling community recreation hub that’s part of Trinity College – three days ago, readying to officially open on Monday, July 17.

She also runs an event-catering business and growing meal delivery service, every week providing thousands of home-cooked meals “that feel like you’ve spent all afternoon in the kitchen” for time-poor individuals and families from the heart of Adelaide, to Clare Valley, the Fleurieu Peninsula, the Adelaide Hills and even Port Pirie.

While others might be daunted by her newest project – she’s simultaneously winding down operations at her Chateau Yaldara cafe – the Lyndoch local is just looking forward to working where her kids go to school and she goes to the gym.

“It’s bittersweet to be leaving Chateau Yaldara (but) our new space is huge … there’s foot traffic of 10,000 a week and we’ve seating for 180 people,” she said.

“For us, it’s really about peeling back; we won’t have a booking system, alcohol or table service … we’ll have courtside doughnuts, hot soups, curries, heaps of fresh foods, salads and wraps to feed the masses of school parents and all the hungry kids.”

Teagan Carpenter, founder of Vintage Chef Co, employs more than 50 staff. Picture: Supplied

Incredibly, the 36-year-old has juggled raising her family – Jacob, who turns 16 next month, Cruze, 8, and Jazmin, 5 – with expanding her business, which construction industry husband Ethan also now works in, exponentially.

“When you thinkabout the decisions and things we are doing now compared to five years ago, you do ‘wow’ but really it just happened so organically, so naturally,” she says.

“In the early days the biggest challenge was missing out on things with my kids … I remember doing a wedding in Port Pirie when it was my son’s school concert, so I had to sacrifice things.

“I was back at work when my daughter was just two weeks old as I had events booked … I remember going and setting up tables, then breastfeeding, then setting up more tables.”

“But now, with over 50 staff, I can enjoy time with my children; when you’ve really, really good, reliable people who run your business like you do, you’ve nothing to worry about.

“I think your vibe attracts your tribe and I’m really blessed … we’ve grown this empire together. It is crazy, it has been a whirlwind.”

A family affair: Teagan is pictured here with Ethan and children Jacob, Cruz and Jazmin several years ago. Picture: Supplied

So, how did it all start?

“I found my passion working in the kitchen at my parents’ (then) restaurant – The Lord Lyndoch,” she says.

“One day friends organised a ‘wine match’ dinner at the Sandy Creek Golf Club and asked me to cook for it … five courses.

“It sold out … at the end of the night, we got a standing ovation and I thought ‘OMG, this is awesome’.”

The founder of Vintage Chef Co says the meal prep side of the business started when her husband’s workmates asked if they buy the lunches she’d prepared for him. Picture: Supplied

Her event catering business grew from there.

“I went doorknocking around all the wineries and venues in the Barossa Valley with my catering menu until I got my next gig,” she says.

“Then, it just started coming in … it grew from word of mouth.”

Next, the meal prep division unfolded, starting when work friends of her husband asked if they could buy the meals she’d prepared for him to take to the construction site.

“I did a little Facebook post … I was literally run off my feet, I was taking orders over the phone, from Facebook and we started doing deliveries,” she says.

Demand soon outgrew the capacity she had to prepare the meals at her mum’s restaurant.

“We bought a house and fitted it out with a production kitchen … we’re now distributing up to 6000 meals a week (and growing).

“Again, the growth has really been word of mouth … my five-year plan is to evolve meal prep into a lifestyle business, creating good food but having weekends off with the kids.

“I’m never moving from Lyndoch, ever … I just love being around my friends and my family.”