Busy restaurateur heads back to the kitchen

Residents will now be able to indulge in a meal from a prominent restaurateur’s kitchen before the clock strikes midday.

Craig McCabe of Circa Restaurant and Bar in Cooroy. Photo: John McCutcheon

COOROY residents will now be able to indulge in a meal from a prominent restaurateur's kitchen before the clock strikes midday.

Sunshine Coast chef Craig McCabe is heading back behind the stove at Circa and will start to serve breakfast for peckish customers.

Mr McCabe said the menu would consist of all-time favourite breakfast items and feature a few gourmet ingredients to keep it interesting.

"It will have simple, clean food and be very approachable for many different types of people," he said.

Circa Bistro in Cooroy. Photo: John McCutcheon / Sunshine Coast Daily

"We want food that's very quick to produce, tasty and doesn't leave you feeling like you just ate a bucketload of hollandaise or something like that.

"We're focusing on the health aspect of it … but it's full flavour and really, really delicious."

Mr McCabe also runs Noosa businesses Felix and Republique but said his main goal was to focus his attention solely on Circa.

After a year and a half of operating out of the Maple St location, he said it was finally time for him to get back in the kitchen.

Circa Bistro in Cooroy. Photo: John McCutcheon / Sunshine Coast Daily

"I've been so preoccupied with running the other businesses that I haven't had a chance at all to be involved cooking here," he said.

"I'm back and building my team around me, so we'll go from here."

Although business at Circa has been a rollercoaster for Mr McCabe and his wife Maeva, he said they were still passionate about seeing the restaurant reach its full potential.

"Cooroy here has a broad demographic of people, from young people who can't afford to live in Noosa, and the older, local crew who have been here their whole lives," he said.

"It's been a hard market to try and crack, and we're still working away at it to see what people want.

Circa Bistro in Cooroy. Photo: John McCutcheon / Sunshine Coast Daily

"Business is tough, it really is. There are so many obstacles that get thrown at you.

"But I absolutely believe in this business … I'm really looking forward to seeing the breakfast menu coming to life."

Mr McCabe said the modern restaurant would continue to serve woodfired pizza and other favourites during lunch and the evening.

Originally published as Busy restaurateur heads back to the kitchen