THE Country Club Hotel Tooleybuc has taken out the award for the best “parmi” in NSW by the Australian Hotel Association NSW for 2023.
The hotel was also nominated for four other awards, the Best Steak Sandwich, Best Innovative Refurbishment, Best Regional Pub NSW and Individual Hotel Operator of the Year.
Six months ago the pub welcomed Laurene McKenzie and partner Chris Hurling as the new publicans.
After moving from Brisbane to take over on May 1, Ms McKenzie, a former business coach, said they decided to recreate the menus using all fresh and local produce.
Taking on the challenge to breathe new life into the venue, they continued refurbishments started a couple of years ago, shaping a new beer garden, a refresh of the dining room and building a kids’ room to cater for families.
“We are really proud of what we have done so far,” Ms McKenzie said.
“All the same staff is here, we just went out and found fresh local ingredients to create a new menu.
“None of our food is frozen, everything is cooked fresh.
“We get our meat and bread from Balranald, which has an amazing baker and butcher. Our produce and fish all come fresh from Swan Hill.
“Each meal is cooked fresh to order, which is something a little bit different in terms of pub meals.”
Since taking over, the team has prepared more than 2000 plates of the now famous parmi.
Some of the elements that make the dish unique are the size of the chicken piece, served as it comes from the butcher, as well as the pub’s own blend of fresh crumbs and their own Napoli sauce.
The newly found reputation of the pub menu has been attracting visitors from as far afield as Melbourne and Adelaide.
Ms McKenzie is passionate about her new community and encouraging visitors to the area.
She was instrumental in instigating the harvest festival held in October.
Now she is working on getting a farmers’ market happening once a month. The first will be held on Sunday.
Stallholders from the harvest festival will all take part in the new initiative.
Organisers are encouraging stallholders with fresh produce and passion projects to be a part of what is expected to become a popular event for the town.
Ms McKenzie said that anything that brings people to Tooleybuc is a good thing.
