Nourishing the community: Culture Cafe's mission to make healthy eating easy

Culture Café began with a simple yet powerful idea – to offer a healthier fast-food option that didn’t compromise on taste. Initially part of Athletic Culture Gym on the South Coast of NSW, the café quickly evolved from a post-workout smoothie bar into a thriving café, offering a full menu of protein shakes, smoothie bowls, and guilt-free treats.

We spoke with founder Connor Basham to learn how SilverChef played a key role in turning his vision into a multi-location business, and how Culture Café is helping people lead a balanced, healthier lifestyle.

The hospitality dream

For Connor, fitness and healthy living were key inspirations behind Culture Café. What began as a small post-workout option quickly expanded into something much bigger.

“Our mission has always been to make it easy for people to nourish their bodies without compromising on flavour,” Connor explains.

The first standalone Culture Café in Wollongong allowed customers to enjoy healthy, delicious meals in a welcoming environment. However, expanding from a simple smoothie bar to a full café with a commercial kitchen brought significant challenges.

“SilverChef was a game-changer for us. Their flexible financing solutions allowed us to open much sooner than we thought, freeing up funds to invest in marketing and building the brand.”

 

SilverChef’s hospitality equipment funding

Setting up a commercial kitchen came with high upfront costs and decisions around equipment. SilverChef helped Culture Café by providing financing that allowed Connor to lease essential equipment, which eased the financial burden and freed up cash flow for other important areas.

“With SilverChef, we didn’t have to worry about large upfront costs, which helped us focus on getting the business ready,” Connor shares.

“SilverChef made everything so easy. Their advice on equipment and kitchen layout was invaluable, and the whole process was handled smoothly from start to finish.”

SilverChef also offered guidance on equipment selection and kitchen layout, ensuring Culture Café was set up efficiently from day one.

What’s next for Culture Café?

Since opening, Culture Café has expanded to three locations in Wollongong, Shellharbour, and Corrimal. Each café continues to focus on healthy, balanced meals while creating a positive environment for customers.

“We’ve grown faster than we thought possible,” says Connor. “Without SilverChef’s support, we wouldn’t have been able to open our second location so soon.”

Looking ahead, Culture Café plans to continue expanding, with SilverChef remaining a key partner in their journey.

If you have a hospitality dream, let's talk about how SilverChef funding can help make it reality! Read more here or get in touch with one of our Hospitality Finance Experts today.