Our Executive Chef, Mike Kirwin, who joined Clovely Estate in 2015, has brought a new level of inspiration to our exclusive degustation dinners as well as to our specialist catering. Before joining Clovely, Mike was Head Chef at acclaimed Brisbane restaurant Jellyfish but he has quickly embraced the creative freedom and variety of working at Clovely.
He says the fact Clovely is a genuine food and wine company rather than a restaurant allows him to think in a different way and be more connected to the whole process and the people involved. He knows where the local produce comes from, works closely with suppliers to find out the best seasonal choices and creates his inventive menus with particular diners in mind.
For the degustation dinners, Mike starts with a theme and works on innovative ways to interpret that with local flavours. Finally, the best Clovely Estate wines are chosen to complement each course. Since Mike took over the reins, the dinners have become even more popular and our 'Memories' dinner sold out before we had even promoted it.
Memorable food is a mixture of imagination, technique, art, attention to detail and of course the finest ingredients. Mike has a clear appreciation of all these elements and treats every food experience as an opportunity to create a satisfying shared occasion and leave a lasting impression.
“In our region, the supply chain between farmer and plate is very short and I am enjoying being part of that connection between the people who produce the food and the people who want to experience it at its very best.” Mike Kirwin
Clovely Estate’s Source of Inspiration degustation dinners are not only one of Brisbane’s best dining experiences, they play an important role in connecting growers with consumers and supporting our region’s artisan producers.