Meet Mike from Engadine Grill
Regulars at Engadine Bowling Club will have gotten to know Mike and his team from Engadine Grill. It’s a popular place to dine, with an obvious commitment to quality and providing fresh and tasty meals for our members and guests. Mike comes from a hospitality background and successfully runs several other venues through Mike’s Grill operations. Get to know Mike and learn what drives his commitment to ensure a wonderful dining experience.
When did Engadine Grill open at Engadine Bowling Club?
The opportunity arrived in 2020 when we started Engadine Grill. We’ve loved being a part of this special Club community and value our interaction with patrons.
Tell us about your team at Engadine Grill
Our team combines a wealth of knowledge and experience. Together, we have worked hard to create quality meals that offer great value for money today and into the future. The team has a range of experiences and works in a tight-knit environment. We have fun in what we do, and I value being able to train many staff who have a passion for hospitality.
Can you share some of your favourite dishes on the menu and the stories behind them?
One of my favourite meals is our chicken schnitzel; it’s hard to surpass our signature Parmys, which are famous among many guests.
I also love the grilled barramundi. We buy the whole fish and cut and portion it by hand daily which means it’s tasty, fresh and delicious.
How do you ensure your dishes appeal to various tastes while maintaining the Grill’s unique identity?
Engadine Bowling Club has a wide range of clientele, so our offerings need to appeal to a diverse range of patrons and tastes. Beginning with our smallest fry, our free kids’ meals on Monday and Tuesday nights, and our $15 affordable seniors’ meals, the dishes must deliver value and great flavours for people to return.
Our dedication to quality is demonstrated in our schnitzels. Some clubs and pubs buy in their schnitzels pre-made and already crumbed, but not us.
We are so passionate about ours that we lovingly bash and crumb every schnitzel by hand, fresh every morning. I believe you can taste the difference. If you were to come by the kitchen any morning, I guarantee you could hear our team prepping—it’s a noisy affair!
Taste the difference between Mondays and Wednesdays with our popular Chicken Schnitzel specials, and don’t forget Thursday night is Parmy night.
What inspired you to become a chef, and how did you start in the restaurant industry?
Ever since I was young and still to this day, I love bringing people together and feeding them.
While I was growing up, my mum ran a restaurant in the Eastern suburbs. I started working on weekends and during school holidays. I began washing glasses, working in the bar, and changing ashtrays, which were duties integral to day-to-day operations.
That eventually led to working in the kitchen, washing dishes and making desserts. That experience was the turning point to enrol in a chef apprenticeship just up the road at Loftus TAFE. Funnily enough, some of the staff at the TAFE are still our regular customers to this day!
When I started, I was very motivated to do my best and being awarded the best apprentice at the time made me wonder just how far I could take my career.
I think it was destined for me to end up where I am today, running multiple venues and feeding thousands of people each week.
What key ingredients or cooking tools do you believe every home cook should have in their kitchen?
Every home needs a BBQ. That’s my go-to; it’s the laid-back way I love to cook.
What do you love most about Engadine?
The local community spirit. Engadine is filled with people at all stages of life. It’s also far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the shire. I also enjoy giving back to the community with our Kid’s sporting vouchers and supporting all our local team clubs.
I feel grateful to have a lot of the locals as loyal customers who are like family.
Want to get to know more about the team? Learn about our Greenkeepers and how we’re supporting regional communities with jobs:
