![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/8Q2A4346_80456.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
“When we heard Peter was selling, we really didn’t want to lose this gem in Carool,” John said.<\/p>\n
“It also really complemented what we were trying to achieve with the hinterland connection, promoting the region and keeping people up in Carool.”<\/p>\n
Donna praised Potager’s expansive gardens which supply much of the kitchen’s produce, along with its tranquil atmosphere.<\/p>\n
“Potager means ‘garden’ in French, and that’s the whole concept of the restaurant, what’s grown in the garden comes onto the plate,” she said.<\/p>\n
“I always say it’s like going home to grandma’s house for dinner, because you are so welcomed, and you can wander around the garden.”<\/p>\n
Long-term customer Anita Jakins said she views Potager as a custodian of traditional hospitality.<\/p>\n
“I consult with many businesses in my work, and one of the sectors most often left behind is hospitality,” Jakins said.<\/p>\n
“They are true hospitality.”<\/p>\n
“It’s the attitude that says we’re not just here to serve you, we’re here to build a relationship with you.”<\/p>\n
“And this is one of the places where you build that relationship, it’s going to the country table.”<\/p>\n
Bar manager Sailendra Yadav, who has worked at the restaurant for eight years, said service is key.<\/p>\n
“People call me bar manager, sommelier this and that, but I prefer to be called Sal,” he said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “When you run a personalised service with a smile, alongside a great product, it’s a key to success.”<\/p>\n The degustation brought together long-term patrons for a series of dishes paired with wines, enjoyed from the cottage veranda overlooking rolling hills to the ocean beyond.<\/p>\n Head chef Lu\u00eds Do Carmo’s talents were on show throughout the degustation, drawing on experience from European Michelin-starred restaurants.<\/p>\n “If you were to ask me a year ago, what my ideal job would be, I would say a small cottage with a garden, and preferably with cattle as well,” Do Carmo said.<\/p>\n “Now here I am in Potager, just ticking all those boxes.”<\/p>\n Do Carmo described his work as a rollercoaster, fuelled by the adrenaline of the kitchen and an enduring passion for food.<\/p>\n “When you work in fine dining, you have a few burnouts, but you always end up coming back to it,” he said.<\/p>\n “The adrenaline is too addicting, as well as the passion for food and the connection that it gives in any culture.”<\/p>\n Do Carmo said he relished the opportunity to bring his depth of experience and globally inspired flavours to Tweed communities.<\/p>\n “It’s an honour,” he said.<\/p>\n “I try to show something that’s not too modern or too avant-garde, but it’s also pushing the limits of what’s on offer.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" POTAGER marked its tenth anniversary last weekend with a special degustation featuring ten tastings for ten years, bringing together past and present management alongside long-time patrons to celebrate the venue’s milestone. Set within an old farm cottage on a Carool property, Potager is known for blending a homely country atmosphere with fine dining. The restaurant […]<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2026\/04\/8Q2A4354_81256.jpeg\")