Country cafe named national finalist

Cassi Papadimitrious' hard work and resilience has been recognised once again, with Kendal Street Cafe being named a finalist in the 2026 Australian Small Business Champions Awards. This recognition comes after Cassi was named the winner of the women’s category at the awards in 2024. “When I found out I was a bit surprised to be honest,” Cassi said. “You don’t really realise the impact you have until you sit down and reflect on everything.” Cassi took on the business seven years ago while raising her four young daughters as a single mother and navigating financial pressures. “It was really hard at the start. The kids were little and I had to juggle everything," she said. “But without the cafe, there’s no way I could have raised them on my own.” With a background in hospitality including roles in Australia, the United Kingdom and Kakadu, Cassi said her passion for the industry and strong work ethic helped her persevere through early struggles, the impacts of the Covid Pandemic and ongoing cost-of-living pressures. While government support during the pandemic helped keep the business afloat Cassi said current economic conditions have proven even more challenging. “With inflation and rising costs, it’s harder now," she said. “We’ve had to make adjustments like reducing staff hours or closing the kitchen some days just to make it work.” Despite the difficulties, Cassi said one of her proudest achievements is simply keeping the doors to a business open in a country town. “It’s really hard running business in a country town so I’m proud that we’re still here and that we can provide jobs," she said. She also credits her team for the cafe’s success. “I’m so fortunate to have fantastic staff. This isn’t just something I’ve done, it’s because of them as well.” This year’s nomination places Cassi against female and male finalists which is something that she loves. "Being a mum of four girls, I do love to prove to them that hard work, in a world that I still believe is a bit of a man's world, women can be successful," she said. Cassi along with her team of staff are now preparing to travel to Sydney for the awards ceremony in early May where they plan to celebrate their hard work together. “We’re all going down as a team which will be really fun. It’s nice to be able to share it with them,” Cassi added.