Port Cygnet Cannery: Live music, extended hours on the cards

A Tasmanian food icon south of Hobart has revealed a suite of changes in preparation for summer, including a new chef, happy hours and regular live music. Here’s what it will look like.

Port Cygnet Cannery. Picture: Instagram

An iconic southern Tasmanian farm-to-plate restaurant and food collective has said goodbye to the Covid-era with the announcement of extended hours of operation, a new head chef, happy hours and the return of live music.

Port Cygnet Cannery, housed within the historic building at Lymington Rd, first opened in 2019, operating just a few months before the pandemic put paid to its grand plans.

However, the opening up of Tasmania and a new management team coming on board have meant the time is right for a second debut.

Phil O’Donnell, manager of the Gardner’s Bay farm which supplies 90 per cent of the produce used in the restaurant, said there is an “air of exciting energy” around the business.

Inside the Port Cygnet Cannery. Picture: Supplied

Among changes revealed include extended operating hours – they are now open on Wednesday – a new casual food menu, a revamped bar offering with specials and happy hours, and Friday night live music, with more events such as workshops yet to be announced.

“The Cannery is this huge space in a tiny little town, it’s an impressive space to be in and it needs a lot of people inside to be buzzing and have that energy about it,” Mr O’Donnell said.

Despite the difficulties of Covid, Mr O’Donnell said the silver lining was it gave his farm team two unharried years to get the 2.2 acre plot just right.

“Back in 2019 when we first started, this was just a few Clydesdale’s in a vacant paddock,” he said.

Gardners Bay Farm manager Phil O'Donnell. Picture: Instagram

“We’ve now only just this year finished all the infrastructure, we’ve just built a gazebo and picnic area that can seat about 30 people.”

“It feels like we’re not building things anymore so we can focus directly on the farming.”

For Mr O’Donnell, that means farm tours are back on the menu, one of many strings to the Cannery’s bow – they are also a food coworking space which houses businesses including The Beansmith Coffee Roaster and Tasmanian Wild Biltong Company.

One of the things Mr O’Donnell is especially keen to show punters is his explorations in Korean natural farming, a farming method which prioritises indigenous microorganisms to boost soil health.

Mr O’Donnelly collects these organisms by placing a box of cooked rice into the forest for a week. The organisms attach themselves to the rice, to feed on the starch, and he then introduces them to the farm.

The farm produce, meanwhile, is now entering the kitchen of a new head chef, UK-born Rick Dyson, who joined the team back in May.

Port Cygnet Cannery's new head chef Rick Dyson, who joined the team in May. Picture: Instagram

“As cliche as it sounds, the opportunity to access and work with produce that is so fresh, really is a chef’s dream,” he said.

Restaurant manager Jasper Gilding said the reinvigorated Cannery is a “warm, community space”.

“Previously we were perceived as trying to become a bit more of a fine-dining restaurant. Now we are more approachable.”

Mr Gilding said this was a space to keep watching.

“We’ve had a whole new team coming in and we’ve all got a million ideas,” he said.