Orange business column features Malaysian street food, massage business and smoothie pop-up

In 2021, Mrs Ooi began creating her own dips and sauces to bring a little bit of her culture to the Central West.

Fast forward two years later and she has taken another leap in the industry and it all came after chatting to Trang's Kitchen owner, Trang Le, who recently closed their Summer Street restaurant.

"She wasn't using the space anymore and I was looking for a spot to introduce Malaysian cooking," Mrs Ooi said.

"Over the last year, I've been travelling a bit more out of Orange to source more Malaysian imported goods. I've managed to get my hands on a few ingredients which are actually from Malaysia and I found a supplier that could actually send it to Orange."

So in April, Caje Kitchen at 134 Summer Street was born.

Mrs Ooi hopes to blend authentic Malaysian cooking with "locally sourced produce".

"With my menu, I have to tell each and every customer that walks through the door that it's going to be on the spicier side," she added.

"I don't mean that just in terms of just hot, but spices like cinnamon, coriander, star anise and I make my own brand of curry paste as well.

"Everyone has been very accepting towards the food and I would say Orange is getting very diversified and having the opportunity to share this experience with everyone in town is fantastic."

Caje Kitchen stands for Colette, Abigail, Julian and Elliott - otherwise known as the restaurant owner and her family - and is open for dinner on Tuesday, lunch on Thursday and all day Wednesday.

Clarissa Lark has always liked to keep herself busy when it come to work.

So it will come as no surprise to those who know her to hear she has started up a new business.

Reset Stretch and Massage is located upstairs in the newly created wellness studio at Fitness Perfection, where Mr Lark also happens to be a group instructor.

"A couple of things changed in my world and I went and did a massage course and thought it would be a nice little spot," she said.

"So now I'm massaging there as part of the wellness studio."

Ms Lark is trained in relaxation massage, deep tissue massage, stretch therapy and most recently went to Melbourne where she completed her training in baby massage classes as well. Not too shabby for a woman who also own her own bookkeeping business.

"I've tended to always do a mix of some part time and full time work just to make sure my bills get paid," she said.

"I've always had this nice little work balance where I'm employed by some and contracted by others and have that flexibility of being able to run my own business.

"I wear many hats because I like the challenge. I don't like to sit still for too long. The massage was something I originally thought would be a weekend side hustle, but then the opportunity for the space came up and I thought I'd have a crack at it."

Bookings for classes can be made at www.resetstretchmassage.com.au

An Orange chef who has started a business making pre-proportioned, cryovaced frozen smoothie blends has opened a pop-up shop in Orange with a view of making it a permanent fixture.

Blake Jackson started Myblendz Smoothie Co about six months ago.

"I work full-time at a daycare as a chef and they allowed me to rent the facility out in the early morning to prep the smoothies and then I deliver the smoothies of an evening and now I'm looking at getting a small retail front to sell the pre-blended smoothies.

"It's doing well, it's starting to take off a bit, which is good.

"They are all natural fruits and vegetables and they are just pre-portioned, pre-packaged, frozen, all natural, superfood smoothie blends."

He said they contain no artificial sweeteners, preservatives or flavourings and are good for weight loss and general health.

He also does promotions at gyms in Orange and Bathurst where he has promo nights, free tastings and selling the pre-packaged blends.

"I've been a chef for nearly 18 years, I was the head chef at Factory Espresso for a little while, I was a sous chef at the Oriana for a couple of years, Michael Apps the TAFE teacher, I worked alongside him for a few years, he was like my mentor for quite some time, that was at Nile Street Cafe we were working together for a while," Mr Jackson said.

Mr Jackson will open the pop-up shop in one of the pods on McNamara Street between 9am and 1pm each Saturday and Sunday.

At the pop-up shop people will have the option of buying the pre-packaged blends, buying a smoothie there and taking it home to blend up or having it blended on site to drink straight away.

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