our story
Our chef, Paddy Tatham
Our chef, Paddy, grew up in close proximity of the Storeroom, which sits on the edge of his parents’ farm. Homewood Storeroom was originally St John Evangelist church, where many of Paddy’s family members have attended services, weddings and christenings over the years. Paddy was christened here, circa 1996.
Paddy has a long fostered passion for good food. He gets the most pleasure in life serving up delicious dishes for his friends and family. After working and studying towards cookery in Wellington, he has returned to the family farm to spearhead this new venture. He aims to strike a balance between the familiar fares of kiwi café cuisine, and influences from cuisines of his own passion, such as Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Mexican. We hope you’ll join us on this exciting and unique culinary journey.
FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED
History
Originally St John’s Evangelist Church
Homewood Storeroom was originally St. John's Evangelist Church on Homewood Road, established in the 1960s. The land was generously donated by the Tatham family, who have been residents and farmers in the area since the late 1880s. With the help of the family and local community, the church was funded and built on a site overlooking the ocean.
The church was named St John’s in memory of Paddy’s Great, Great Grandfather John (JH) Tatham, who did not return from WWI.
community
The church was frequented for services, weddings, and christenings and played a unifying role in the community. Services have not been held for the past decade; this prompted the decision to turn the building into a café and revitalize it’s purpose of bringing people together. Partway through conversion of the church, a time capsule was unearthed from the building’s foundation stone. Among the items was a quote from Paddy’s great grandmother, expressing her desire for the modest structure to be “a place where the community gathers together”.
ORIGINAL HOMEWOOD STORE
Homewood Storeroom took its name from the original local store which provided the community with everything from flour to postage stamps. This building still stands today and is situated behind Homewood Homestead. The store's original counter and shelves are still intact.
Architectural Features
The stone frontage of Homewood Storeroom is an original architectural feature. These stones were sourced from the Kaiwhata River Flats on Homewood Farm. Kaiwhata stones are also incorporated in the landscaping around the building.
Today, Homewood Storeroom is operated by Paddy Tatham and his partner, Alex McKenzie. Above the fireplace hangs an artwork by Alex's sister, Anneka, which depicts the Kaiwhata River. We welcome you to come and experience the history, natural beauty, and warm hospitality of Homewood Storeroom.
