May Wrapped Up – Events, Food, Gardens & Community
Well, my motto of blogging more often went straight out the window when May rolled in. 😂 But with everything that’s been happening, I’m extremely thankful. It’s been a full and beautiful month of events, catering, cooking, and community — and the restaurant has been steady too, which is always a great feeling.
Mother’s Day Magic
We kicked off May with a gorgeous Mother’s Day lunch for 70 beautiful people, all coming together to celebrate mums. The weather was on point, the food flowed, and our staff were absolute stars.
The kitchen was buzzing all week beforehand — desserts to prepare, flowers arriving, and all of us pulling together to ensure everything was just right. It’s one of those events that reminds me why I do this — feeding people on a day that means something, with so much warmth in the room you can feel it.
Beef & Burgundy Night
Mid-month, we hosted a Beef and Burgundy evening — a night of flavour, wine, and good company. On the menu:
- Pepperberry blini with crème fraiche & finger lime
- Saltbush lamb on potato rosti
- Kangaroo fillet, whipped ricotta, bush honey, native dukkha.
- Duck breast, carrot, cardamom, bush honey, macadamia cream
- Wattleseed mousse, Davidson plum. Macadamia, cookie crumble
With 20 guests in-house, it was an intimate, relaxed, and richly conversational night — one of those nights where everything just flowed. Watching people try native ingredients for the first time is always a highlight.
BCLC Catering
We had the pleasure of catering two events for BCLC — one out at the beautiful Dalki Garringa Nursery and another at the Horsham Town Hall. It was a full day of food, connection, and community.
For one of the events, we rolled out:
- Morning Tea:
Scones with quandong jam & cream, wattleseed cinnamon scrolls, banana and cinnamon myrtle bread - Lunch:
Pepperberry beef with seasonal potatoes and ice plant, Lemon myrtle chicken wings and rice, quinoa and herb salad with Geraldton wax, hummus and fingerlime dressing - Afternoon Tea:
Wattleseed brownies, native spiced shortbread, fresh fruit skewers
It’s always a joy to bring catering into these kinds of spaces — to serve food with meaning, that’s nourishing and rooted in this land. Many of the flavours came from ingredients I’ve sourced for years — from saltbush to wattleseed — and I always strive to make those dishes both approachable and memorable.
Sovereign Hill Cooking Demo
I headed off to Sovereign Hill in Ballarat for the fourth year in a row to do a cooking demo — and I honestly love it more each time. This year, I showcased:
- Duck breast with macadamia cream and quandong sauce
The crew down there are just the best to work with. There’s something about being in that setting, with the smell of wood fires and heritage all around, that makes the whole experience feel even more connected. I even managed to sneak in a stroll through the market stalls and have an early dinner — a rare but appreciated bit of downtime.
Native Garden Workshop with Crikey Tucker
To finish off the month, my beautiful friend Crikey Tucker came over to run a native garden bed workshop. We had 20 attendees join us to dig in, learn, and connect.
Having Crikey here to start the native bed felt like the perfect full-circle moment. We spoke about bushfoods, growing your own, and how healing and grounding it is to get your hands in the soil. There were so many great questions, laughs, and shared stories. It reminded me again that food and country are deeply connected — and that growing what we cook with can be just as joyful as the cooking itself.
Looking Ahead to July
As the cooler weather rolls in, things are slowing slightly, which means I’ve got space to get a few talented mates in to run Wednesday night cooking classes. Keep an eye out — it’ll be warm, nourishing, and a great excuse to get out of the house midweek.
The restaurant will stay open to meet your dining and socialising needs, and if you’ve a gathering coming up, don’t forget that we can cater or host your next event right here in our space.
May reminded me how powerful food can be — to gather, to celebrate, to learn, to reconnect. Whether it was with herbs in hand, behind the pans, or digging into the soil, I’m grateful to share these moments with people who care about the same things.
If you’ve any questions, would like to book a class, or require catering, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We love food — and we love sharing it with people.
See you soon,
Cat Clarke and team
