Fourteen months after she launched her business as a food stall, Brittany Carree is celebrating the opening of her first dine-in venture in Tarrawanna.
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Gringa Tacos is a Mexican restaurant that offers tacos and tortilla chips, to be washed down with a Mexican soft drink or a beer from Reub Goldberg Brewing Machine next door.
The corn tortillas are made in house and Ms Carree uses traditional Mexican ingredients, although she says she likes to "have a little fun with it, a little flair".
"We are authentic, but with my own twist," she said.
Gringa Tacos opened its doors last Thursday and Ms Carree said the first day went "really, really well".
"We were very busy - it was awesome," she said.
Ms Carree met Reub Goldberg owners Billy Barnetson and Anna Suthers several years ago through the gym and said they had been "pushing [her] along" as she worked towards her dream.
When Mr Barnetson and Ms Suthers took over the space in Meadow Street formerly inhabited by Yarnsy's Cafe, she said, they offered it to her.
With Gringa Tacos, Ms Carree said she wanted to help make Tarrawanna a "fun place to hang out".
Ms Carree has spent half her life in hospitality, starting in the dish pit at 16 and working her way up to front of house and management.
"I've always loved hospitality, I love customer service... Just giving people that atmosphere, feeding them good food, making them happy," Ms Carree said.
She dreamed of opening her own place and a few years ago she and her partner Paddy Perillo embarked on a research trip, eating and drinking their way across Northern America.
Ms Carree had the idea she wanted to do something handheld, like burgers or wraps, and eventually settled on tacos as a favourite.
Hailing from Vancouver on Canada's west coast, Mexico was also a favourite holiday destination and she has memories of laying on the beach and eating tacos.
Ms Carree said she wanted to bring her customers on her travels with her each time they enjoyed one of her tacos.
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