W
henZoeBirchandherpartnerLachlan
GardnerdecidedtoopenGreasyZoe’s–
a diminutive10-seaterlocatedintheleafy
suburbofHurstbridge,some 45 kilometres
outsideofMelbourne’sCBD– it wasn’tnecessarilyborn
froma romanticnotion.
“Itcameoutofa bitoffrustrationat theindustry,”
saysBirch.“Itgottoa pointwherewethought,okay,we’re
eithergonnaopenourownplaceanddoit ourway,or
maybewehavetothinkaboutdoingsomethingelse.”
Theirplanwastoruntherestaurantassustainablyas
possible,witha “hyperlocal”approachtosourcingproduce
fromsimilarlysmall-scalefarmsandproducersintheregion.
Ratherthanhirestaff,BirchandGardneroptedtodo
everythingthemselves:fromharvestingvegetablesontheir
suppliers’farmstowashingdishesat theendofservice.
“Thespaceis tiny– aboutfivebyfourmetres,andthat’s
includingthekitchenandthebar,”saysBirch.“It’slike
beinginsomebody’skitchenat home.”
Withonly 10 coversa night,GreasyZoe’sis at the
pointyendofthetrend.Butinthelastfewyears,tiny
venues– seatingnomorepeoplethanmightbeinvitedto
a moderatelyambitiousdinnerparty– havesproutedup
alloverthecountry.OftenlooselyinspiredbytheJapanese
omakasetradition,theserestaurantsfavourintimatespaces,
shortguestlists,seasonalproduce,andsetmenus– a model
whichhasprovensurprisinglyrobust,eveninthechallenging
environmentofthepandemic.
“Hospitalitycanbeona knife’sedgeat thebestoftimes.
It canbeveryfickle,”saysChrisChappleofTemplo,a cosy
Italian-inflectedrestauranthousedina formerbutcher’s
shopinHobart.Butwitha smallervenue,therearelower
overheadsandfewervariablestoworryabout.
“Ingoodtimes,wedotwosittingseverynightofaround
20 peopleeach,andhavethesameamountofpeopleon
waitinglists.I’dratherhaveit thatwaythanhavinghalfthe
restaurantemptyandnooneona waitinglist.”
AtthebeginningofHobart’slockdown,Chapple
transformedTemplofroma fully-functioningrestaurantto
a takeawayshoptradinginrusticpasta,lasagneandtiramisu
injusta fewdays.Thesizeofhisbusinessservedasan
advantage:it meanthecouldpivotquickly,retainhisstaff,
andrefocusonprovidingforthelocalHobart community,
rather than cashed-up interstate tourists.➤
GOURMET TRAVELLER 61