Ms Monro opened the doors of her restaurant Rhythm In Me (or RIM) on July 6, and in the week since has wowed customers with amazing food and service.
Ably assisted by chef Blaise Thacker, the long-time cook is aiming to deliver a relaxed and intimate restaurant experience.
‘‘I know I’m mad taking on something like this during COVID-19, but I’m just one of those people who just wants to have a crack,’’ she said.
‘‘If COVID locks us down we will find a way with takeaway only meals; we’ll just roll with the punches.
‘‘My aim is to serve some old time favourites and some newies with a twist.
‘‘Here it’s like the TV show ‘The Cook and the Chef’ with Maggie Beer and Simon Bryant; I’m the cook and Blaise is the chef.
‘‘We have that cross between technical skills and meals that make you feel at home.’’
Ms Monro got her first taste of the hospitality industry when she was just 14 years-old, working at a club in Barham.
Cooking runs in her blood. Her brother is a fully qualified chef and her grandmother worked as a shearer’s cook for many years.
Ms Monro originally chased a different career as a registered nurse, but food has always shone through as her true passion.
‘‘I have two main loves in my life, that’s food and music.
‘‘They are both rhythms in me and that’s how I came up with the name.
‘‘I believe food is the rhythm of the soul and cooking is a bit of stress relief for me.
‘‘I love when people feel like they are cared for, and I seem to be able to do that with food.
‘‘I have worked in nearly every pub in Deni but then I saw the opportunity with the lease coming up at the Centrepoint Motel restaurant about seven weeks ago.’’
As soon as her application for the lease was approved, Ms Monro got started with refurbishing the restaurant.
‘‘I wanted to create a relaxed environment where I am happy, my staff are happy and my customers are happy,’’ she said.
‘‘We are only able to seat 17 people at the moment, but when COVID restrictions are further eased, we’re only aiming to keep the restaurant to a capacity of 20 people.
‘‘This is because we want to engage with our guests and make sure everyone here can get the service they deserve.
‘‘Our menu will be seasonal with daily specials. We are keeping the main menu small in order to play with flavours for our specials.
‘‘The food is made on site and I’m happy to adjust to dietary needs.’’
RIM is open Monday to Friday from 6pm to 9pm, and also offers in-room dining for Centrepoint Motel guests.
With limited seating, bookings are essential. Call 0447 499 219 to book.
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