Brisbane restaurants adapt to new reality in age of coronavirus

A year ago Brisbane’s flourishing dining scene was suddenly snuffed out. Here’s how the city’s leading restaurateurs have survived.

Brisbane was enjoying a burgeoning dining scene. Restaurants and cafes were popping up like mushrooms after rain, and our venues and chefs were winning national accolades – recognised as some of the best in the country.

Then, in March 2020, like a knife piercing the head of a live lobster, the bright and flourishing scene went dark.

The COVID-19 lockdowns last year threw the city’s thriving hospitality scene into chaos as restaurateurs scrambled to adapt, innovate and, for many, simply survive.

Chefs and waitstaff – once some of the most in demand workers in the country – suddenly found themselves in unemployment queues, while venues closed their doors and others switched to takeaway.

Reopening and rebuilding has been a long and painstaking process, complicated by constantly changing rules and regulations around diner numbers and social distancing. It’s been hard, exhausting, and financially and mentally draining. And just when the industry thought it was coming out the other side, there was this week’s lockdown. The very worst kind of deja vu.

So 12 months on from when the chaos began, we asked some of Brisbane’s top chefs, cafe and restaurant owners to share their stories on the year that was and reveal the lessons they’ve learnt facing such unprecedented challenges and what their hopes are for the future of dining out.

Head chef William Cowper at Otto

WILL COWPER

Head chef, Otto Ristorante and Otto Osteria, South Brisbane

The past year has highlighted to me the important role food and restaurants play in our lives. With limited travel opportunities, tight restrictions and an unpredictable road ahead, it’s up to us – chefs and restaurateurs – to create memorable dining experiences for our guests.

The past year has changed the way we cook – not only from my perspective but from the home cook.

People spent more time in the kitchen and experimented with dishes that were normally reserved for the restaurant setting. So it gave me a boost to ensure that when diners were ready to come in, we offered up an experience they could not create at home. I don’t mean by offering up more complicated food, but by ensuring a holistic experience that transported them. More than ever we need to be bringing diners into the moment through food, service and atmosphere.

Finally, it’s given me time to reflect and realise the importance of a good team. I’ve always valued our staff but the time away made me realise what a big part they play in my daily life. They are family – it’s a fact that we all spend more time together than with our own families. To show compassion, humility and vulnerability to our staff will continue to be my focus.

Cafe O-Mai’s Margaret Nguyen

MARGARET NGUYEN

Owner, Cafe O-Mai, Annerley

As a restaurant owner, I get goosebumps again and again when I hear the sweet hum of my guests chatting and the music in the background. After each lockdown I have learnt that we as humans crave a sense of belonging and social interaction. The human connection and the simple act of eating at the table with a friend is very powerful. We realise how precious it is when it’s taken away from us when there is a lockdown.

If I hear someone say the word “pivot” – I would seriously throw a shoe at them. The hospitality industry has had a serious belting with every sudden lockdown being announced. Stock being ordered for the week now has to be salvaged or thrown away. Not only is the restaurant affected but also the whole chain reaction for the producers and farmers.

Then there’s the constant worry if COVID will come to our venue, as well as keeping current with all the new regulations to comply with COVID Safe plans, the fact JobKeeper has run out, and running a team that’s less than what it was just to keep afloat.

During the pandemic last year I knew we had to keep going to keep our staff employed and feed our families. When we first went into lock down we switched to takeaway immediately. We quickly built our online store and did our own contactless deliveries. Being brave when you are scared takes a lot to lead a team. Trusting in the unknown was difficult but once we got in the “new” routine is was fine and we adapted. The community rallied with us and supported us throughout lockdown.

I learnt quickly that being present online with my patrons was very important. Day to day stories and updating, informing, educating – repeating the words “have you signed in?”

I learnt that during times of hardship and difficulty we turn to nurturing, wholesome, comforting foods. Breads, noodles, rice, cakes, pretty much carbohydrates are foods we turn to for comfort. Regardless of culture, we all eat the same. Home style foods was definitely a hit last year. We definitely craved for foods that our mum use to make. Our banh mi rolls and pho soups kept a lot of people sane during and out of lockdown.

For many of us in the hospitality industry last year we did what we could – it was a year of survival. This year I am hoping for recovery and rebuilding.

Elska owner/chef Nathan Dunnell

NATHAN DUNNELL

Chef and co-owner, Elska, New Farm

If there is one thing the last 12 months has offered, it is to do what you are truly passionate about and to hold onto that because you never know when everything may change.

From a young age food has been a massive part of my life. Last year this all was put to the test, and I came to a sudden realisation how much the industry meant to me.

This has completely shifted my approach and respect towards food, and sent me down the rabbit hole of the food industry. From the essential relationship between chef and supplier, to the practices of local and native ingredients and the methods of preservation and techniques to highlight the food and produce in the most respectful and delicious way possible.

The past 12 months have pushed me to deepen the connection between chef and supplier as the synergy between the two is how the best food is created. After all, it is often the produce that tells the greatest stories and connection, which is what food is all about.

At the restaurant some important changes, additions and improvements have been made to highlight where our passion lies and how we can harness it.

Preservation of seasonal produce through fermentation, in particular koji, and related items, have lead to some interesting and creative additions. Pushing my skills, creativity and sustainability ethos as a chef in an exciting direction.

Improving the deep and rooted connection between the suppliers and the produce has always been an essential part of Elska. After the last 12 months, improving and maintaining these relationships is definitely an area as a chef I am focusing on and constantly trying to improve.

At Elska and as a chef, I strive to constantly improve in whatever way I can. Sustainability and quality are at the pinnacle of what we strive to provide and I hope that we are able to continue aiming for this for a very long time.

QAGOMA executive chef Douglas Innes-Will

DOUG INNES-WILL

Executive chef, Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art, South Brisbane

2020 and the challenges COVID-19 brought about has taught me a lot about both running a business and also what I genuinely love most about food and our industry.

Significantly, I’ve realised just how important the cornerstones of cooking – nourishment, generosity of spirit and integrity of product are in connecting with your clients. Throughout 2020 and into 2021 I continue to be inspired by the resilience and ingenuity of our local producers, suppliers and other colleagues in the hospitality industry. Furthermore the support of the Queensland Art Gallery |Gallery of Modern Art customer base continues to be incredible and unwavering. Our audience continue to enjoy getting out, experiencing the Gallery’s diverse program and eating and drinking in our venues.

The experience of COVID-19, caused us to take stock and move forward with a more casual, informal dining experience, particularly at GOMA Restaurant, with a more inclusive and approachable food and beverage offering. While we retained the food and service quality we increased the number of share plate items on offer and reviewed our pricing in line with that too. We also introduced a more accessible wine list and added a choice of fun cocktails into the mix. The result has been a renewal for the restaurant.

Although there is still a way to go for our industry as it continues to pivot and navigate the challenges of the current climate I would say that there are many positive shifts occurring and particularly with those operators who care for their guests and the product they deliver and have responded accordingly. I believe this whole experience has focused people back on the more important aspects of a dining experience – the company, the great food regardless of what form it comes in, and importantly providing a welcoming and inclusive service.

AlFreshCo Catering’s Alastair McLeod

ALASTAIR MCLEOD

Chef and director, AlFreshCo Catering

We are not in the food business; rather we see our job to be providers of hospitality. Generosity, warmth and kindness are at the heart of the DNA of our business and that is why we are certain we will prevail. We delight in transporting our guests to a place of pleasure that is free from the stress of their day-to-day lives.

With eyes wide open, we also know margins are slim and the challenges myriad. However, before opening the doors we were clear on the “who, what, where, why, when” of our business. Naturally, we have volleyed and parried to maintain a revenue stream this past year, but we have not deviated from the charter we set for the business. After all, you can’t aim for something if you don’t have a target.

Our business is based in Moreton Bay region and while we have always sought to shine the light on the farmers, fishers, growers and producers of the region, the past year has given greater impetus to this advocacy. We have developed a greater resilience and connection to our community and are enjoying cooking food with a story that delights rather than impresses and creating dishes with a clear sense of provenance. While it has been an unprecedented challenge we have felt more gratitude than grief and have enjoyed more whiskey than woe.

Lady Marmalade cafe owners Howard and Sonja Searle

SONJA SEARLE

Co-owner, Lady Marmalade Cafe, Stones Corner

This past year we have learnt to do things differently. At first when we went into lockdown a year ago we didn’t know what would become of our business, our team, it was overwhelming.

We needed to change our menu to be more adaptable but still creative and delicious. We have always used seasonal produce but we focused on this even more. We learnt we also had to say no to customers wants when we were only allowed 10 or 20 diners, something difficult in the hospitality industry. I learnt to let go of ridged goal setting and become more fluid, to still have goals but to constantly adapt them as we worked our way through an ever changing landscape of rules, lockdowns and expectations.

The best thing to come out of the past year has been the rallying together of our industry to support each other. As an industry we became “connected”. Facebook pages appeared overnight so we could share information. A group of my hospitality friends, by default, started a calling tree to pass on anything we heard or received. It made me proud to be part of the industry.

We need to remember to be kind and engaged and to stay “connected” as this is a long way from being over. I don’t think we will ever be the same again – I think we will do things differently.