Unforgettable coffee, delicious food and great customer service — that’s Peter Son’s promise when he opens the Leaf Café in Orange City Centre this month.

For Peter, the opening of Leaf Café in Orange is the fulfilment of a dream he has had for many years.

In 2011, Peter was looking to escape Sydney and came to Orange to manage People Café. During the next two years, Peter said Orange became like his second home and he pledged to return one day.

“I had a really brilliant experience and the lifestyle here… I was really touched, and I always thought one day, if I have a family, I will definitely live back in Orange and now that dream has come true after seven years!”

Originally from South Korea, Peter came to Australia on a working holiday visa in 2007 and fell in love with life here. He also discovered that he had a knack for hospitality and took to it with passion.

“I'd never worked hospitality before in my country, but once I started working here, I found I really loved meeting customers and found that this is my talent, so I thought. let's do it,” said Peter, who enrolled in cookery courses and has worked in numerous cafes and restaurants across Sydney.’

“My background is cooking as a chef as well, but I’ve done every position and I've worked in many different shops, sometimes franchises sometimes private, so I have experience in many different types of cafes and restaurants,” said Peter.

Leaf Café is a Sydney-based franchise that launched in 2008. Leaf Café constantly work to perfect their coffee and focus on creating menus tailored for individual communities.

“I like their concept, their passion so I'm really proud to be opening my new Leaf Cafe here,” said Peter.

“Leaf are a semi-restaurant and café. They are really focused on nutritious, good value meals and they roast their own coffee beans and they have a passion to develop the quality of their coffee. I was very fortunate to be offered this opportunity.”

While Peter was excited to be returning to Orange along with his wife and two young sons, he wasn’t expecting that he would also be returning to work in the very same location inside the Orange City Centre.

“It is actually the same space I worked in seven years ago, So I took that as a sign that it was time to go back to my second hometown!”

It has been a busy six month of preparation for Peter and the team at Leaf Café. He said their executive chef will be putting the final touches on a fully customised menu for the Orange store.

“I want to make us known for good customer service,” said Peter, who has made sure their café space has plenty of room so that customers can feel free to take their time over their meals and coffee.

“I’ve tried to give more spaces, so it doesn't matter if we are busy or not, people can come and enjoy themselves and not feel like they should go, because someone is waiting for a table.”

With the grand reopening of the renovated Orange City Centre just days away, Peter is hoping to see a few of his former customers once again.

“I'm not sure if they will all still remember me or not, but hopefully they will come visit. I have missed many good customers that I served here before and hopefully they will find me and be happy with my new shop.”