25/10/2026
THE END OF AN ERA | SIX WONDERFUL YEARS WITH OUR BELOVED MAMA DEE ❤️ And what an extraordinary era it has been 🥹
Today, we marked the end of a very special chapter at Hayz At The Anchorage as our much-loved Mama Dee completed her final shift with us.
For those who have walked through our doors over the years or followed us through social media, Mama Dee needs no introduction.
She’s been the familiar face welcoming you, the warmth behind our hospitality, the laughter shared across our tables, and the person who has made so many of our guests feel less like customers and more like whānau.
But behind that beautiful smile is a woman whose contribution to the Anchorage extends far beyond front of house. From the early days of establishing my restaurant to the many milestones, challenges, celebrations and achievements along the way, Dee has stood alongside us through it all.
She’s helped build our foundations, nurture our team, establish our systems and create the welcoming environment that so many of you have come to know and love. More importantly, she’s helped shape the people we’ve become along the way.
Over six years, we’ve shared countless memories, overcome challenges, celebrated successes, welcomed new faces and watched our Anchorage whānau grow.
And somewhere along the way, colleagues became family ❤️
Today was emotional, to say the least.
There were heartfelt speeches, plenty of tears 😭, beautiful memories shared and an overwhelming sense of gratitude.
And then, just as we’ve done so many times before, we pulled ourselves together, opened our doors and delivered one final, incredibly busy service alongside our Mama Dee. What a beautiful way to finish this chapter.
Dee Dee on a personal note, there will never be enough words to express my gratitude for everything you’ve given, not only to the Anchorage, but to me. Your loyalty, wisdom, encouragement, compassion and unwavering support have meant more than you could ever know. You’ve been my sounding board, my voice of reason, my greatest advocate and, on more than one occasion, my fierce protector 💜
It has been an absolute honour and privilege to walk alongside you, to witness your growth, and to have you beside me as we’ve built something we’re both incredibly proud of. As much as we’ll miss your daily presence, we’re equally excited for what lies ahead. After years of giving so much of yourself to others, it’s time to enjoy those precious moments with your own whānau, embrace new adventures and make beautiful memories. And nobody deserves that more than you.
To our wonderful customers and community, thank you for embracing and loving our Mama Dee as much as we do. We know many of you will miss seeing her familiar face, but the relationships she’s built here will always remain part of the Anchorage story. Six years, Countless memories and One extraordinary woman.
From all of us at Hayz at the Anchorage, thank you Mama Dee for everything. We love you, we appreciate you, we wish you and Rodney every happiness and success in this exciting next chapter.
And as I said today…
“This isn’t goodbye….. It’s I’ll see you later” 🥹
With all our love and gratitude,
Haylee & your Anchorage whānau x
