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Tom Moore was our savior. He took our busy restaurant off our hands so we could continue our dream of owning a small winery. An award winning Chef, before coming to GRAZING, Tom and his lovely wife Crystal owned the Chef-hatted Sage – a gorgeous little restaurant in Braddon, Canberra. Sage was like dining in a good friend’s home.
By 2007, four years after opening GRAZING, things were really insane. We had the two future wine makers, one still a baby, one a toddler and our busy restaurant was all consuming. I was still on maternity leave from my city job, but I knew that the time to return or leave was looming, and that I had to make that difficult decision.
It was then that our Chef decided to move on. We advertised for a new chef and interviewed many unsuitable candidates. We even flew a hot shot up from Melbourne who accepted the job, signed a contract and then pulled out at the last minute because his girlfriend didn’t want to move. It was pretty heartbreaking stuff, and we almost threw in the towel.
Someone suggested I call Tom for help. That chat was a major turning point for us. Tom had decided he wanted a place in the country and within a matter of months, we had leased GRAZING as a going concern to Tom and Crystal. I remember Crystal asking me whether I could let go of the restaurant. As with most ‘children’ one gives birth to, I probably still haven’t fully let go, but Tom and Crystal put up with me for better or worse - like the nosy neighbour sticking my head over the (garden) fence all the time. We have developed a wonderful working relationship and friendship over the years.
Tom grew up on a herb farm and has a very natural affinity with the GRAZING kitchen garden and all the philosophies that make GRAZING so popular. Shortly after taking over the restaurant, he sold his beloved restaurant Sage. So with GRAZING safely in the hands of Chef Tom and Crystal, we were cut loose to pursue our dream of owning a winery.
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