Meet Our Team
Every great adventure has its cast of characters.
Here, dear guest, you shall meet ours: the dreamers, doers and delicious creators who conjure the magic you taste and feel at every Rusty Petticoat occasion.
Meet the Makers of Magic
Jessica
We are a small but gloriously mighty crew, bound not merely by profession but by a shared devotion to the art of the extraordinary. We do not simply cater events, we inhabit them.
Founder, Operator & Thinker of Random Things
The Rusty Petticoat did not begin as a business plan. It began as a God moment, the kind they write about in films and whisper about in wonder. A wedding, a couple, a heart connection forged across a table of handcrafted food, and suddenly, a calling became undeniable. Jessica discovered early that the events she creates are not transactions, they are journeys. The people who invite her into their most precious moments become family, if only for a beautiful while. She is the visionary, the orchestrator, and the keeper of wonderfully unpredictable ideas.
Carly
Baker Extraordinaire & Artisan of Beautiful Things
Where flour meets fantasy, you will find Carly. A baker of extraordinary talent and an eye for design that borders on the supernatural, she understands that the finest confections are as much a feast for the eye as for the palate. Her creations do not merely accompany an occasion, they become the centrepiece around which memories are made. Equal parts pastry chef and artist, Carly brings an aesthetic sensibility to everything she touches, ensuring that beauty and deliciousness are never mutually exclusive at The Rusty Petticoat.
Shona
Second in Command & Beating Heart of the Operation
Every great ship needs a steady hand at the helm, and Shona is ours. The 2IC who holds the threads together when the beautiful chaos of a grand event threatens to fray at the edges, she is the warm and watchful presence that ensures every detail falls precisely where it ought. The crew rallies around her, guests are soothed by her, and the operation simply would not sing without her. She is not merely the backbone of The Rusty Petticoat, she is its heart, steadily and devotedly beating through every service.
The Extended Company
No grand production is staged by three souls alone. Depending upon the scale of the occasion, our ensemble swells to welcome a carefully chosen cast of extraordinarily talented individuals — each one chosen not merely for their skill, but for their spirit. And lest we forget our most devoted supporters: Jessica's parents, who can reliably be found somewhere about the building, adding their particular brand of magic and lovingly tending to the smallest humans in attendance. At The Rusty Petticoat, family is not a metaphor. It is the very foundation upon which every glorious event is built.
Chronicles & Commendations
What the Travellers Say
The truest testament to any purveyor of experiences is the whispered tale of those who have feasted, celebrated and made merry within our midst. These are their chronicles.
“The best culinary experience in NZ, by far! Jess is the sweetest and funniest person, her food is amazing, and she makes everything from scratch. The dishes are very big, and the prices are great.”
— Amit D“We keep coming back as the food is so divine! Jess is such a lovely, warm hearted lady and will welcome you with open arms.”
— Femke H“Eating here was like being in a dream - but a dream with excellently thought-out and executed food in a deeply stylish atmosphere.”
— Michael P— Jessica, The Rusty Petticoat