Designing Menus at the Greenhouse Eatery

With the launch of our new menu, we thought it was fitting to tell you how we create them. Designing a new menu is an excellent chance for the kitchen team to show off their skills while keeping things updated and fresh. Daily specials are a fantastic opportunity for the chefs to try out their new ideas before committing them to a new menu.

One of the longest processes when creating the new menu is the costings. Accurate costs are essential in setting the right price. The item needs to cover the cost of goods, the labour that goes into making the dish, and setting a price that people will pay. The current pandemic after a season of bushfires and drought has put a tremendous strain on our farmers, wholesalers, and customers.

Being located at Pacific Dunes, in Medowie, we are quite lucky to be surrounded by so many options when it comes to produce. From fruit and veggies to great local beef, and let’s not forget the great seafood we have at our fingertips in the Port Stephens and Newcastle areas. 

Specials

Our Spring special of Pork Cutlet with braised red cabbage, broccolini, smashed chat potatoes, gravy and apple sauce for $20 has proven a fantastic hit with our members and the locals, and it gets better — we get to work with an awesome local supplier at Medowie Meats who have sourced some incredible cuts of meat for us. 

Choosing new dishes

The seasons play a big role in a menu; some fruit and veg are easier to come by at certain times of the year and even taste better when “in season”. So if strawberries are no good or difficult to get a bulk supply of, a strawberry cheesecake probably isn’t a great idea. We also consider what people enjoy eating throughout the seasons, winter usually calls for hearty soups and plates of pasta, while summer fresh salads and seafood are popular. 

You, as our customers are our most important guides, your history of purchases tells us what you like to eat and what is not so popular. Our point of sales tracks all of our dishes and supplies us with real-time data, which we use when planning for the next seasons' menu. 

Being located in a golf club means a lot of our customers are golfers. So this calls for quick and easy menu items like burgers and schnitzels. 

Menu items for kids

Including kids meals is a must as Medowie grows. We are seeing a rise in young families out and about. Mum and Dad want to enjoy lunch but need kid-friendly options too. And, if you can't find something for them, you can always pick one of our menu items, and we'll make it half-price for a kids portion.

There are always those select few menu items that would cause chaos if removed, so maintaining the balance between new and old favourites is important.