A student at Newcastle High School's Cooks Hill Campus, Dante Valentinis' teachers helped him develop the business idea towards the end of last year Credit:Dave Anderson The venture drew mixed reaction on social media, with the most prominent response coming from Newcastle City Council. "We encourage the spirit and initiative shown by the two Merewether lads … but sadly we have to shut down their venture for now," the council's comment read. "Food safety regulations have forced our hand but we are happy to work with them and their parents on the need to meet certain health standards and obtain council approval. Come and talk to us, guys." While council put a lid on it, many were unaware of the preparation Dante had put in. The energetic teen found the cabinet advertised for free, and after convincing his dad, Eddy, to go and collect it, he refurbished it into a workable cart.

"I didn't have any plans for it, I just built it as I went," he said. "From there it just went on; I got a fridge for inside, a water heater, sinks, we're getting a hot plate made up and we've got a generator too. We based it all around food vans. "The idea was that I was getting really bored at the time and I needed to do something to keep myself from doing other things that I shouldn't be doing." A junior entrepreneur Since then, he's been operating the van with his crew of staff – a friend, Luca, and two cousins – who he even had uniforms made up for.

After questions were raised online over the legitimacy of his operation, Dante's mum Suzanne spoke to Fairfax Media of the planning. A student of Cooks Hill Campus – the annex of Newcastle High School – Dante had developed the business idea with his teachers towards the end of last year. "He modified the whole cabinet and was hassling me every night to go to Bunnings," she said. "He's spent about $800 to $1000 of his own savings on the cart. "He's just a very driven boy that wants to be out there. His school helped encourage him to build his own business, and through the school he's gone and done his ABN, his tax file number and been to talk to council multiple times." Coming from an Italian family, the coffee cart is Dante's latest enterprise in a growing list of crafty activities, having previously ran a neighbourhood fruit and vegetable business out of the family backyard, walked dogs for pocket money and bred chickens to sell to pet stores.

But Newcastle City Council said his latest operation, named D'oro the Exploro, was without approval and the venture was unable to continue as it was. "Dante will need to undertake the same steps and process for approval that anyone would undergo to operate a street stall or mobile food van," a council spokesperson said. "[The cart] must be able to meet food safety standards and pass inspection. "We are however on-board with the boys' initiative and entrepreneurship, and fully support them in following the process for approval." An out-and-out junior entrepreneur, Dante plans to push on with the cart and overcome council's hurdles.