Fancy a taste of European fine dining in the Riverland? Well, look no further than Temperance, Hotel Renmark’s newest culinary gem.
At the helm are Head Chef Anthony Cresp, Executive Chef Hugh Hazelwood and Temperance Restaurant Manager Mel Hamilton. Mel says Temperance is a unique addition to the Riverland, with nothing else quite like it there.
“The restaurant has a a ‘farm to table’ philosophy. Hugh’s style of cooking is traditional European, while Anthony is all about foraging and using every part of every product that comes into the kitchen. We are working towards a Riverland produce focus all the way to the Murray mouth,” she says.
A bit of backstory to how the trio connected. Hugh returned home to Renmark with a suitcase of experience from hatted restaurants in the UK. He and Anthony were school mates who kept in touch, and it wasn’t long before Anthony took the opportunity to return to home turf and join the Temperance team.
Travelling the state for inspiration, Hugh dinned at Fino, Seppeltsfield, hosted by none other than Mel herself. Hugh left with a plan: he stalked social media to make a connection. Turns out, Mel’s family have roots in Renmark too, and she jumped on board as Restaurant Manager.
The two chefs combined their passions and share the belief that a big part of the flavour in food comes from buying the right products in the first place. They love creating relationships with producers to ensure they have an understanding of the products they are cooking with and how best to use them.
Temperance offers an al-a-carte along with their Austerity Menu of eight courses with or without wine pairing. On the al-a-carte menu you will find dishes such as regional spring vegetables with house made ricotta, mulloway, and local spring lamb. Meanwhile, on their Austerity menu, expect dishes such as house made sourdough, blue swimmer crab tortellini, Adelaide Hills venison carpaccio.
Mel described the atmosphere of Temperance as being “a little bit luxe, but without being stiff.” Boasting a plush, comfortable interior, there is a nod to the 1920s era, which is reflective of the building’s exterior, complete with soft furnishings, soft lighting and carpet all the way through.
Staff offer a personalised experience and are experts in the dishes they are serving, talking diners through what they are eating, how dishes were created and the stories behind the food.
The word ‘Temperance’ means ‘abstinence from an alcoholic drink.’ This has added some humour, as the restaurant is quite the opposite of this. The name pays homage to the alcohol prohibition movement of the late 19th century in Renmark.
With a tongue in cheek attitude to the Chaffey brothers and the dry town they built in the mid 1800’s, Temperance and its chefs menu, Austerity, are anything but measured or formal.
Mel also hopes the restaurant will open up opportunities for local people looking to pursue a career in the industry.
“We would like to be a seed to build the industry in the Riverland and in the region so people don’t have to leave to work in the spaces that they want to. Hopefully we’re just adding to what the Riverland has to offer, not just from a tourism point of view, but for the locals to give them inspiration,” she says.
WHAT: Temperance Restaurant.
WHERE: Hotel Renmark, Murray Avenue, Renmark South Australia, 5341.
WHEN: From 6pm on Friday and Saturday evenings.
To find out more about Temperance, click here.
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