A steadfast companion to a luxury lodge restaurant is the verdant produce of a kitchen garden – leafy shapes and colours creating a diverse edible landscape for guests to delight in. From temperate zones to the tropical north, kitchen gardens promote environmental awareness and sustainability practises that directly connect guests with fresh, local, nutrient-rich food.
Herbs, vegetables, fruits, flowers and the mighty honey bee all play a part in the cultivation of good cuisine. Chefs take pride in harvesting and preserving produce, collected daily or seasonally from trellised fruit trees and raised garden beds and kitchen scraps are composted, completing the nutritional cycle.
A bouquet of mediterranean flavours from freshly plucked basil, chives, garlic, parsley, mint and rosemary carries from the garden to the plate, to the palate, whilst tropical treasures like ginger tantalise taste buds with bold, zingy affection.
Take a wander down the kitchen garden path…
Lake House, Daylesford VIC
The ever-impressive Dairy Flat Farm provides a 38 acre regenerative growing facility 10 minutes down the road from Lake House. The property includes a flourishing five acres of dedicated vegetable gardens, a working barn for classes and workshops, 3 hoop houses; a glass house, an orchard of 300 apple, pear, stone fruit, quince and medlar trees, an existing rejuvenated olive grove and a two and a half acre vineyard.
Tip – There is never a dull day in the vegetable gardens, especially during the ‘pick’ for the kitchen. Keep an eye out for the resident guinea fowl and alpacas.
Emirates One&Only Wolgan valley, Blue Mountains NSW
Firmly rooted in its lush environment, the culinary team share a deep-rooted love for the land and its sustainability, founded on a garden-to-table philosophy. Along with regional fare from specialty farmers and producers, seasonal ingredients grown in the Country Kitchen garden or foraged from the reserve are incorporated to create one-of-a-kind menus. Chefs head out daily to the garden daily to pick products for the lunch and dining service. The bountiful kitchen garden is located a five-minute stroll from the villas and can be visited any time by guests.
Tip – Young guests love visiting the ‘outdoor kitchen’ to discover what’s growing in the gardens.
Silky Oaks Lodge, The Daintree QLD
With a tropical climate and contemporary Australian style, subtle traditional indigenous flavours like wattleseed, native honey and an array of muntries are incorporated into the Silky Oaks Lodge menu. During the day, guests can meander through the new kitchen garden full of a myriad of herbs, berries, citrus trees, coffee bushes, native pepper vines and tropical fruits home grown in the grounds for the Treehouse Restaurant. Come evening and the Kitchen Garden plays host to cocktails and canapés for small groups and an intimate private dining destination for limited numbers. The dining experience offered in the Kitchen Garden is a Chef’s Table Experience. Suited to the more adventurous and culinary intrigued, it’s set amongst the fresh green shoots under the rainforest canopy, leaving guests feeling sated by the smells, tastes, and knowledge shared.
Tip – Stop and chat with the resident Gardener for some local know-how.
Saffire Freycinet, Freycinet Peninsula TAS
The rooftop kitchen garden at Saffire Freycinet offers guests a glimpse into the inner workings of the lodge as they first enter the architectural building. The relatively small constraints of 11 x 5 meters prove no obstacle with the team growing cool climate produce all year round. Very little annual rainfall on the East Coast of Tasmania means that precious rainwater is collected on the roof of the Sanctuary building, providing ample water for the garden, even in the height of summer. As part of their cooking demonstration, Palate Restaurant offers a tour through the chemical-free garden. Rather than large crops of single produce, the focus is on the finer details and symbiotic splashes of colour – flowers, herbs and leaves all picked fresh by hand before each service.
Spicers Peak Lodge, Queensland High Country QLD
In the kitchen garden, a colourful medley is plucked – chive flowers, rocket flowers, nasturtiums and brilliantly red chillies and heirloom cherry tomatoes destined for the next course. Spicers Peak Lodge grows much of its own produce, which forms a large part of the ingredients on its guest menus.
In The Peak’s kitchen, preparation leftovers go to the local farmer’s pigs to help close the loop of organic waste and a compost machine is used to dehydrate food waste so that anything else left over goes on the kitchen garden.
Tip – Take time to chat with the Chef about The Peak’s ‘best of’ ethos and maybe even come away with a recipe.
The culinary team at The Louise engage with dozens of small producers in a tight radius of the lodge and much of what appears on Appellation’s menu each evening is from the kitchen garden. Residing just meters from the restaurant and visible from each guests table, the seasonal produce growing just outside is a reminder that The Louise brings the highest quality produce to the table at its peak nutritional ripeness, and showcasing authentic regional flavours.
Inspired by culture, guided by the seasons and looking to the future, the culinary team forage for wild greens and pickle the excess harvest from the kitchen garden. A worm farm has been established to recycle all wet waste from the kitchen and provide rich fertiliser for the garden. South Australia is the driest state in the driest continent in the world, so water conservation and recycling is imperative. The Louise is invested in a world-class water management system, centred on rainwater catchment and re-cycling.
Tip – Guests are actively encouraged to connect with the local environment, producers and artisans.
Cape Lodge, Margaret River WA
The Lakeside Restaurant menu features seasonal local and home grown produce plucked from nearby oceans, nearby farms and the kitchen garden to create Cape Lodge’s fresh innovative cuisine. A walk through the kitchen garden veggie patch uncovers leafy chard and grapefruit trees, laden with bulbous yellow fruits. Feijoa trees grow amongst a scattering of oyster shells, providing calcium to balance the soil pH levels.
Tip – Tuesday to Sunday offers a 4 course Chefs’ Harvest Menu, featuring a selection of some of the favourite and signature seasonal dishes.
For further food and wine experiences at the luxury lodges of Australia, visit.
