Interview with Andrew Clancey, Little Dove Café
Hosted by Gareth Power Gordon, Nelson Regional Development Agency
Little Dove Café, based in the centre of Nelson, is a haven for locals and a growing mecca for foodies visiting the region. Inspired by the kitchens of the eastern Mediterranean and the Levant, the café’s handmade, mostly organic soul food is said by its owners, Andrew Clancey and Marianne Navon, to be cooked with integrity and love.
This principle extends well beyond the kitchen too. Caring for the environment is an every-day consideration at Little Dove. The team is fully committed to an overriding goal of keeping waste at a minimum by passing on food waste to local chickens, calling on suppliers to reduce unnecessary packaging, and reducing energy consumption by limiting cooking elements to a stove top.
Little Dove’s seasonal, predominantly plant-based, menu is designed to keep prices fair, reduce the risk of supply issues in extreme weather conditions, and challenge customers about fixed choices. A place for both business and pleasure, Little Dove is where difficult and wonderful conversations can combine.
Trained chef and co-owner of Little Dove Café, Andrew Clancey, has spent most of his professional career working in the hospitality industry, including as owner of a high-end restaurant in Port Fairy, south of Melbourne.
As front-of-house service manager Andrew offers a unique style of personalised service, taking the view that people come before profit wherever possible. He continues this approach behind the scenes, managing hours that work around family time, ensuring a sustainable work practice for him and his colleagues.
Andrew lives in Nelson with his partner and Little Dove co-owner Marianna Navon and two teenage children.
Thank you to the Nelson Regional Development Agency for their support for Mission Insights.
