-
-
About SilverChef
Menu
-
-
About SilverChef
article
Fat Puku's is a smash burger restaurant in Auckland, New Zealand, founded by Gary and V. The concept was built on escapism - a space where people could forget the outside world for a while and enjoy good food and good company.
We spoke with Gary and V about their journey and how SilverChef has supported Fat Puku's growth.
What started as two mates with a love of burgers has grown into multiple Fat Puku's locations across Auckland. But building a restaurant from scratch, let alone two, rarely goes exactly to plan.
"When you're building things from scratch, you're always going to go over your budget. That's where SilverChef really stepped in."
For Gary and V, having the right financial partner on hand made all the difference in getting the business off the ground and keeping it moving forward. From the beginning, the pair were determined to reinvest what they made back into the business rather than draining their own pockets, which meant every dollar mattered and every equipment decision had to count. Rent-Try-Buy gave them a way to do exactly that.
Cash flow is everything in hospitality, and Fat Puku's felt that pressure early. That's where Rent-Try-Buy came in.
"Cash flow is super important. Not every restaurant can afford to just go out and splash out on a griddle. Rent-Try-Buy has been an awesome option for us — it gives you a lot of flexibility to rent it, to try it."
Beyond the flexibility, the process itself was fast.
"We were on the phone to SilverChef the next day. It was approved, and we had the equipment by the end of the week."
That speed made a real difference on the ground. When Fat Puku's outgrew washing dishes by hand every night, a dishwasher approved and delivered within days - changed the pace of the entire kitchen almost overnight.
From there, the equipment list grew alongside the business - a deep fryer, then a glasswasher and ice machine, exactly when Fat Puku's needed it. That measured approach meant Gary and V could keep investing in the areas that mattered most, without tying up cash flow before it was truly needed. That's how you can Grow Smarter with SilverChef.
Five years and two locations in, SilverChef is still a part of how Fat Puku's does business.
"SilverChef has been a big part of our expansion and our growth. Definitely worth giving them a try."
For Gary and V, that support hasn't just meant getting the right equipment at the right time -it's meant being able to grow at their own pace, on their own terms, without ever feeling locked in. If you're building your own hospitality dream, discover how SilverChef can help you get there.
