Born on the Road
It all started with a great idea, a tight budget, and a serious passion for food.
Back in 2011, after a stint living in San Diego, Peter - CaterStation’s founder - became captivated by the gritty charm of dive bars, the smoky goodness of BBQ joints, and the buzzing energy of street food vendors. That experience stuck with him. When he returned to New Zealand later that year, he brought the inspiration home, eager to blend that bold, American street-food culture with a distinctly Kiwi twist.
But inspiration alone doesn’t build a business. Peter knew the road ahead wouldn’t be easy - especially in a city like Auckland, where food trucks were still a niche idea and council regulations made it hard for mobile operators to thrive. Still, he backed himself and just went for it.
He bought a beat-up caravan that had once run laundry deliveries for the New Zealand Towel Service and, later, had been converted into a campervan. Working within a tight budget, Peter took on the rebuild himself - sourcing second-hand equipment, managing the build, and reworking the layout until it finally came together. The result? The Roaming Dive - a food truck built from the ground up, literally.
It wasn’t perfect. The build took months longer than expected, and some of the layout decisions made in the name of space-saving would later slow down service during busy runs. But Peter knew the truck inside out, which made breakdowns easier to fix on the fly. The unique design, crafted in collaboration with James Tolich from Elmsett, was one of the things he remained most proud of.
The Roaming Dive quickly became a regular at Silo Park Markets and outside No. 1 Queen Street Café & Bar. Peter usually stayed within 100km of Auckland’s CBD, carefully weighing up the cost of longer hauls - from fuel and staffing to the wear and tear on the truck. Even with growing momentum, the early days came with challenges: navigating winter slumps, managing inefficiencies that come from part-time operation, and dealing with Auckland’s tough mobile trading laws.
But the wins made it all worthwhile. From food swaps and laughs with other truck owners to conversations with loyal customers who'd come back just to say thanks - there was a real buzz to it all. Street food wasn’t just a trend; it was a community.
Eventually, though, demand started to shift. More people were looking for The Roaming Dive to show up at private events, office parties, and bigger functions. That’s when Peter realised it was time to evolve, not just as a truck, but as a true catering brand.
And that’s how CaterStation was born.
Today, CaterStation takes the spirit of the food truck - bold flavour, creative menus, and good vibes - and brings it straight to the people, delivered hot Auckland-wide. Whether it's a taco station for a team lunch or sliders for a special event, the mission is the same: food that brings people together, made to share, without the stress.
The truck may be off the road, but its story is still fuelling the journey.