Award-winning chef opens new Northern Rivers restaurant

AFTER five years at the helm of the multi-award-winning Northern Rivers restaurant Potager, Scottish-born chef Michael Lee has launched a new dining venture called River in Brunswick Heads.

Lee partnered with his childhood friend, Scotland-based entrepreneur Sean Monaghan, to bring his dream to life in the space formerly occupied by Lilium Lair. Known for his inventive take on modern Australian cuisine, Lee has a strong focus on sustainability, seasonality and local produce.

The menu at River includes dishes such as wattle seed-crusted wild venison loin with parsnip and ink gin blueberry ketchup; lemon myrtle crocodile schnitzel with finger lime aioli; and spanner crab ceviche with elderflower, avocado and pickled sea greens.

“River represents a natural evolution of my culinary path,” Lee said. “After years leading one of the best and most loved restaurants in northern NSW the opportunity arose to do my own thing. It gives me total creative freedom and an opportunity to do something with my childhood best friend.”

Lee is working alongside restaurant manager Harriet Rose Johnson, a Brunswick Heads local who previously worked at Elements of Byron. She also curated the wine list.

The restaurant’s name was inspired by its proximity to the Brunswick River and Simpsons Creek. River is also the name of Lee’s eldest son. He also has a daughter, River’s twin sister Bonnie-Rose, and another son, Lennox.

Lee collaborated with local stylist Jason Grant to design the restaurant’s interior, which embraces a relaxed coastal aesthetic in tune with its surroundings.

“He has guided me through the process and we pretty much aligned on everything,” Lee said.

Originally from Edinburgh, Lee was an architectural engineer before moving to Australia in 2009 for a sea change. He completed his apprenticeship at The Star Gold Coast and has also worked at Season and Taverna in Kingscliff, Mavis’s Kitchen in Uki, and cooked for celebrities including Michael Bolton, Snoop Dogg and The Veronicas.

During his time at Potager, at Carool in the Tweed hinterland, the restaurant was awarded consecutive chef hats by the Australian Good Food Guide, as well as gold medals at both the NSW Tourism Awards and North Coast Tourism Awards.

River currently accommodates 40 diners indoors, but Lee hopes to add around a dozen more seats outdoors in time for summer. The space is also available for events, functions and creative collaborations.