A Day in the Life at Grazing: Inside the Kitchen with Chef and Owner Kurt Neumann
Tucked away in the historic village of Gundaroo, just a short drive from Canberra, Grazing Restaurant has become a favourite for relaxed countryside dining in the Canberra region.
Guests often see the restaurant at its liveliest — a full dining room, plates leaving the kitchen, and the buzz of service in full swing. But behind that experience is a full day of preparation, teamwork and rhythm.
Grazing Chef and Owner, Kurt Neumann, speaks about what a typical day looks like behind the scenes — from early morning produce runs to the final clean-down at night.
Starting the Day
For Kurt, the day usually begins with a drive through the countryside before arriving at the restaurant.
“Normally around 8:30 in the morning,” he says. “I’ll head out and grab any produce we need and enjoy the 30-minute trip through the country. It gives me a chance to plan the day or week, make a few phone calls or listen to a podcast.”
Once he arrives at Grazing, the first priority is checking in with the team.
“The first thing I do is say good morning to everyone and see if there are any concerns or questions.”
Early mornings at the restaurant are often calm — but not always for long.
“Generally it’s pretty relaxed,” Kurt says. “But sometimes the place suddenly feels like a bit of a time vacuum and we all start rushing around in that last hour before service.”
In the kitchen, the morning starts with the basics: unpacking produce into the cool room, reviewing prep lists and getting organised for the day ahead.
“And then we wait for the manager to bring around the morning coffee,” Kurt laughs.
Preparing for Service
Before guests arrive, there’s plenty happening both in the kitchen and the dining room.
Front-of-house staff prepare tables according to the day’s reservations, making sure everything is set correctly and noting any special requests.
“We’ll check for dietary requirements or if someone’s celebrating a birthday or anniversary,” Kurt explains.
In the kitchen, the team works through prep lists and finalises dishes for the day’s service. One of the last tasks before the doors open is putting fresh bread into the oven.
“It’s always nice when the dining room starts to fill with the smell of bread baking.”
While Kurt would like to say he’s always the first person through the door each day, that’s not always the case.
“I tend to get caught up with suppliers,” he admits. “So it’s usually our manager who arrives first, followed closely by the kitchen team.”
Developing the Menu
The menu at Grazing evolves over time rather than changing overnight.
“Most of our dishes are developed gradually before they make it onto the menu,” Kurt says. “We’ll work on them for a while before deciding they’re ready.”
Alongside the core menu, there are also occasional specials.
“They’re a bit more organic. We can have some fun with them and try things out.”
Because the restaurant is located in a small rural village, ingredients don’t always arrive the way they might in a city restaurant.
“Being in a rural setting, I’ll often pick produce up on my way to the restaurant,” Kurt explains.
Wine, however, is a different story. Grazing’s wine list focuses entirely on the Canberra wine region, and many local winemakers deliver directly.
“It’s always good to catch up with them and see how things are going around the hospitality scene.”
The Lunchtime Rush
Once lunch service begins, the pace quickly changes.
“It can be a bit crazy sometimes,” Kurt says. “But we try to arrange the reservations so service flows well.”
Some dishes have become long-time favourites among regular guests.
“At the moment, the menu is fairly balanced, but the hand-rolled potato tortellini in the entrées and the salted hazelnut parfait for dessert have been on the menu for quite a while.”
There’s also a particular moment during lunch service when the restaurant feels especially busy.
“We call it ‘the flip’,” Kurt explains. “That’s when the first sitting is finishing and the next wave of guests arrives.”
“At that point, you’ve got desserts going out, bills being paid, tables being cleared and reset, and new guests coming in all at once.”
Between Lunch and Dinner
After the lunch rush winds down, the team begins preparing for the evening service.
“We’ll restock and re-prep for dinner,” Kurt says. “If there’s a large group or wedding coming up, the kitchen will also be finishing canapés.”
Meanwhile, the front-of-house team resets the dining room after lunch.
There’s rarely much spare time in the afternoon, but the team does make sure to share a meal together before dinner service begins.
“We always try to sit down for a family meal,” Kurt says. “Usually, one of the chefs cooks something for everyone.”
Dinner Service
Dinner service has a slightly different feel to lunch.
“It’s generally more relaxed,” Kurt explains. “We normally only do one sitting in the evening.”
The start of dinner can still feel a little hectic while the team finishes off last-minute jobs.
“But once we get into a groove and the kitchen finds its flow, it feels great.”
When it comes to sending dishes out to the dining room, Kurt says it’s hard to choose a favourite.
“Honestly, all of them. Every dish on the menu is there for a reason, and they’re all pushing a really high level of quality.”
The Team Behind Grazing
After more than 15 years at Grazing, Kurt says the restaurant has become much more than just a workplace.
“It’s not just one thing that makes it special,” he says. “It’s the staff, the customers — both regulars and new — the building and the grounds. There’s a lot to it.”
One thing that stands out is the longevity of the team.
“A lot of the core crew have worked with us for a long time. That builds consistency, and regular customers become familiar with the team both front and back-of-house.”
The End of the Day
Even after the last guests leave, there’s still work to do.
“We reset the restaurant for the next day and confirm any orders that need to be placed,” Kurt says.
One thing many guests might not realise is how thorough the end-of-day clean-down is.
“We make sure the kitchen and restaurant are completely clean before the next day.”
There’s no strict ritual to wrap up the evening, but there is one small tradition.
“It’s always nice to have a quick debrief over a glass of red wine.”
A Memorable Moment
When asked about his favourite moments at Grazing, Kurt points to something particularly meaningful.
“We’ve been lucky enough to host weddings for past and present staff members here,” he says. “Being part of their special day — especially when they know the venue so well — is pretty special.”
What Guests Take Away
For first-time diners visiting Grazing Restaurant, Kurt hopes they leave with more than just a good meal.
“A memory,” he says.
“I love it when someone walks in with no expectations and then gets completely taken in by the venue, the staff, the food and the atmosphere. That’s organic — it’s not something you can manufacture.”
