"I was going to be there for six months to get it set up and hire the people," Ms Dorsett said.

"Eight years later I am still here."

That is because after about a year the head chef left mid-service.

"I had to pick up his tools and take over which was somewhat terrifying," she said.

To her surprise she really enjoyed it.

"I couldn't get another chef so I decided I was going to go to TAFE and do an apprenticeship."

It was a world away from her former public service career in project management, HR and change management in Canberra.

While she could apply some of that knowledge to running the cafe, she admits she went in very ill-equipped but was "pretty determined" and thrived on the fast-paced environment.

"It is the instant and tangible results, no two days are the same, different challenges that have you thinking on your feet and you get an adrenaline rush," Ms Dorsett said.

For two years she worked 100-hour weeks in addition to going to TAFE.

"I would be in the cafe at midnight filming myself doing the tasks the TAFE instructors asked of me," she said.

Ms Dorsett said the cafe has grown every year since buying it in March 2016 .

It now does four times the number of covers while revenue has grown four-fold.

Additionally the Mossy Group opened another two cafes.

There is a 'grab-and-go' in Broulee where it is surrounded by schools and a very upmarket offering at the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden.

That one epitomises Ms Dorsett's style of "restaurant-quality cafe food".

"It is casual cafe dining but with high-quality food that isn't too fussy," she said.

"At the beginning we had to be bold and stick to our guns because people don't like change.

"People were saying they didn't like it which is hard because you put your heart and soul into it but there was a market for it and it continues to do well" despite the tough economic environment.

Ms Dorsett will likely be the only local chef at Narooma Oyster Festival's very popular cooking demonstration with the others being celebrity chefs or from "big fancy restaurants".

All the demonstration's dishes will feature sustainable NSW seafood, supported by the NSW government, through the Eat More NSW Seafood Program

One of the dishes Ms Dorsett is thinking of making is kaki fry, which is Japanese deep-fried oysters.

"For people who are little bit afraid of oysters it would be a good way to try them."

Ms Dorsett will be on stage with host Courtney Roulston at 10.30am on Saturday, May 4.

Now in its 17th year, the Narooma Oyster Festival will be held on May 3-4.

For more information and tickets head to the festival website.