ABOVE: Heike and Reto Bodenburg are opening a cafe in Coraki with a view of Richmond River. Photo: Susanna Freymark
STORY BY Susanna Freymark
Baked cheesecake, fruit tarts, apple strudel with vanilla sauce served with a bowl of gelato – it’s enough to make your mouth water.
Heike and Reto Bodenburg will be serving Swiss and German cakes at their cafe in Coraki opening this Saturday, March 4.
“We will serve all the good stuff from Germany and Switzerland,” Reto said.
Heike and Reto landed in Coraki after being displaced during the floods.
They had a stall selling their European cakes at markets in Queensland and then came to Byron Bay.
Before they could establish themselves, the floods came.
“We lost everything,” Reto said.
They didn’t know what to do or where to go.
“We moved to Wardell and lived in a gazebo,” he said.
They spent their time in Wardell cooking and serving meals.
We made 7000 meals in three months, Reto said.
“We made cakes and bread, all for free. We got donations for groceries.”
For a while Heike and Reto stayed at Camp Koinonia at Evans Head before they were allocated a flood recovery pod at Coraki.
Now they are living behind the shop on Richmond Terrace and are busy preparing for the opening of Heike’s Cafe.
Heike has been a baker for 38 years and does the cooking. Reto does the packaging and selling.
As well as cakes there will fresh sandwiches, Italian meats and cheese from Tweed Valley.
For lunch they’ll serve meat, vegetable and onion shashlik, and goulash too.
Their vision for Heike’s cafe is that it is a “food adventure” for customers.
As well as a cafe, Reto will offer tech advice while you have a coffee.
Through Reto’s Computer Service, he can advise on security cameras, phones and data migration.
“I can help set up a TV or Wi-Fi or teach people how to use Skype or Zoom,” he said.
Heike and Reto welcome the community to their cafe on Saturday, March 4, 9am–5pm on Richmond Terrace in Coraki. The cafe is where Wild Olive used to be, next to the hairdresser.
