A chef who has cooked for Nelson Mandela and the Queen has taken over a popular cafe in a prominent location in Buderim.
Craig Milnes has opened Courtyard Kitchen on the corner of Main Street and Gloucester Road, a space that was previously home to vegan eatery Cafe Vie.
Mr Milnes, who originally hails from South Africa, said he had always admired the venue and was excited to take up the opportunity.
“I have always wanted my own restaurant,” he said.
“The first time my wife and I walked past the space, even before moving up here, I said to my wife, ‘that is an amazing spot for a venue’.
“Fast forward six years and here we are.”
Mr Milnes said he was keen to point out that the cafe had moved away from the plant-based offerings of Cafe Vie.
“I feel it is important for people to understand we are a new cafe with a new owner,” he said.
“We wish to reach out to a wider audience, not just vegans and new customers who may not have previously considered the cafe.”
He said the aim of Courtyard Kitchen was “casual and relaxed dining” with good-quality coffee and food, and great service.
Mr Milnes did his traineeship at four and five-star hotels in South Africa, before moving to the UK.
“I ran kitchens in some of the most beautiful and esteemed buildings in the world like St Paul’s Cathedral, Somerset House, the Royal Academy of Arts and Leeds Castle,” he said.
“I was fortunate enough to work with highly accomplished and Michelin-starred chefs including Gary Rhodes, Tom Aitkens, Albert Roux and Prue Leith.
“I also had my own catering and ready-meal business for several years before moving to Australia.
“We landed in Australia in 2015 where I became the executive chef at Taronga Zoo, catering for up to 14,000 people a day.
“This was followed by a group executive chef role looking after 18 kitchens spread across NSW and Queensland.
“I have been privileged to cook for Nelson Mandela, Queen Elizabeth II and many of the royal family, and have catered for hundreds of thousands of people.”
The cafe opened on Monday after giving the space a quick makeover.
“It was well fitted out so we didn’t make big changes,” he said.
“We did however paint and scrub for days. We roped in our wonderful friends and even our kids helped to get it ready.
“We wanted to get it up and running as soon as we could so that our casual staff didn’t go without pay.”
The cafe currently employs 12 staff and there could be plans to expand its offerings in the future.
“It is early days but one of the opportunities is to hold private functions in the space,” Mr Milnes said.
“I think it is a beautiful dining room and a great outdoor area for canapes, so we hope to introduce this as a venue soon.
“We also think it would make a beautiful evening restaurant where families can enjoy a delicious dinner.”
The reaction from customers since opening has been “interesting and mixed”.
“The neighbours at Gloucester Centre have been extremely supportive and excited that we are here, as are many Buderim locals as we bring a fresh and new quality offering,” he said.
“We moved to the Sunshine Coast because we liked the community spirit and we are truly grateful for this opportunity.
“We want to thank the Buderim community for supporting us on this journey.”
Courtyard Kitchen is open Monday to Friday from 7am to 3pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 7am to 2.30pm. For more information click here.
Want more free local news? Follow Sunshine Coast News on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
