The duo behind Bay Grocer and 100 Mile Table share their recipe for success

SARAH Swan and Jeremy Burn first met when she travelled to New Zealand to film a cooking show with her then-boss, Neil Perry, at a vineyard where Burn was working.

At the time, neither could have imagined that the friendship they sparked would evolve into a lasting business partnership.

Over the years, the co-owners of Bay Grocer have been involved in a number of ventures across the region – from the much-loved Chinese barbecue restaurant Duk on Bay Lane, to running the kitchen at Byron Bay Golf Club, and until recently, the canteen at Stone & Wood Brewery.

Their latest project, 100 Mile Table, is a multifaceted venture in Byron Bay’s arts and industry estate that combines a retail store, cooking school and a large kitchen for their Homey Take Home meal brand.

A trained chef, Swan spent 14 years working in prestigious kitchens, including The Bayswater Brasserie, Bather’s Pavilion and Perry’s Rockpool Group, before relocating to Byron Bay to start an events catering business.

Burn, who holds a business studies degree in marketing, gained experience in New Zealand working for wineries and wine brands, including a stint as operations manager at Stonyridge Vineyard on Waiheke Island. He also worked for the Hipgroup in Auckland, which operated ten of the city’s most awarded cafes and restaurants – a level of experience comparable to Swan’s time at Rockpool.

“We had a similar ideology on how hospitality should be done,” Burn said. “For us, it’s all about service and quality. While it’s retail, we tell our staff we’re here to sell an experience.”

The duo had previously run a café and catering company also called 100 Mile Table in another part of the industrial estate more than a decade ago, before opening Bay Grocer.

“We’ve been selling take-home meals since opening Bay Grocer, kind of bumbling along in our kitchen, but we started to outgrow that,” Burn said.

He said the industrial estate was an ideal location, offering a combination of space and affordability as well as being central for deliveries to areas including Ballina to Ocean Shores.

The store features a fridge and freezer stocked with fresh take-home meals, alongside pantry staples such as rice and mango chutney for butter chicken and chilli oil to pair with lasagne.

It also sells kitchenware ranging from pots, pans and wooden spoons to hibachi grills and wood-fired pizza ovens.