Matilda Riek, August, West End
Set within a restored heritage church in Brisbane's West End, August, the restaurant founded by Matilda Riek and her partner, head chef Brad Cooper, is shaped by the character of its surroundings. Architecture informs the menu as much as the seasons do, while art, furniture and objects gathered over time reveal a sensibility grounded in instinct rather than convention. In conversation with Matilda, we discuss the influence of place, the value of personal taste, and the many small decisions that give a restaurant its lasting identity.
AUGUST IS HOUSED WITHIN A BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED HERITAGE CHURCH ON DORNOCH TERRACE. WHAT DREW YOU TO THE SPACE, AND HOW HAS THE BUILDING SHAPED THE WAY YOU IMAGINED THE RESTAURANT?
When Brad (my partner, and head chef) and I decided to open a venue, we knew from the very beginning that we wanted a building with character rather than in something new. We spent months looking at properties that didn’t feel quite right. The moment I saw this place, I could immediately picture the restaurant - how it was laid out, and how it would feel to dine in the space. I remember this feeling very reassuring at the time.
There were quite a few restrictions that came with the building being heritage-listed, but those restrictions give you freedom in ways because you know what you have to work with.
The food at August very much represents Brad’s style, but it might have been different if we were in another space. It’s almost like the food mirrors the building, in that it feels both modern and classic, taking cues from European style, while remaining distinctly Australian. A lot of people walk in and say that the building just feels like a big timber Queenslander. I think the white plates and tablecloths also mirror the simplicity of the building’s form nicely.
THE DINING ROOM IS FILLED WITH ART, OBJECTS AND VINTAGE FURNITURE, EACH PIECE CONTRIBUTING TO THE ATMOSPHERE. HOW DID YOU APPROACH CREATING A SPACE THAT FEELS COLLECTED RATHER THAN DESIGNED?
My mum has always had a very clear sense of personal style. I grew up in a house full of art, sculpture, Turkish rugs and textiles, and antique furniture. In the same room, she would have a huge, modern piece of artwork, next to a still life, next to a framed painting I might have done at preschool. It somehow just all worked.
In the same way, everything at August - from the artwork, to the cutlery to the bins in the bathrooms - has been found, selected, or made by us. It’s not about being ‘tasteful’, or trying to create an impression, but rather, creating a space that is expressive and letting the building speak for itself. When you create a space that is based on your own personal sense of style, everything will be naturally cohesive as a consequence.
I think we are seeing a lot of restaurants outsourcing their choices to design firms. The aesthetic becomes rooted in what is ‘trendy’, creating homogenous, characterless spaces that often feel quite serious and controlled, and are outdated in 5 years' time. I don’t really see the point in opening a restaurant that looks like everywhere else.
YOUR MENU DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM REGIONAL COOKING ACROSS FRANCE, ITALY AND SPAIN. WHAT IS IT ABOUT THESE TRADITIONS THAT CONTINUE TO RESONATE WITH YOU, AND HOW DO YOU MAKE THEM YOUR OWN?
There are some European dishes that we would never think about changing - things like puntarelle alla romana, bouillabaisse, leeks vinaigrette. These are all well loved for a reason. When Brad thinks about changing a dish, he mostly tries to consider how we would like to eat it. The Australian seasons and weather contribute this, as does Australian food culture and how people prefer to eat here - too much offal and rich French food isn’t always a hit! Making food feel approachable is also always important.
Places like France and Italy also have strong traditions - it’s about generosity, sharing with the table, and not being too precious. I like to think we try to take a similar approach.
SEASONALITY SITS AT THE HEART OF AUGUST. HOW DOES THE CHANGING AVAILABILITY OF INGREDIENTS INFLUENCE THE WAY YOU BUILD A MENU THROUGHOUT THE YEAR?
Our menu changes slightly every day. Brad’s approach to creating a dish is to always start with the produce, and then the technique can follow. When you build a menu around what is in season, each dish naturally works well with the flavours of the next. The saying, ‘what grows together, goes together’, really is very true.
THE WINE LIST IS AN EXTENSION OF THE DINING EXPERIENCE. WHAT ARE YOU PARTICULARLY EXCITED TO BE POURING AT THE MOMENT, AND WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING WINES FOR AUGUST?
Like the food, our wine list is a nice balance of European and Australian producers. At the moment, we are pouring the last few bottles of ‘Peaches’, from Manon Farm - a small, family run farm in the Adelaide Hills, with a focus on biodynamic principles.
We have also just received a few bottles of Terres Des Dames, Grenache Blanc, from Languedoc in the South of France. ‘Terres Des Dames’ translates to ‘land of the ladies’, and the 70 year old vineyard is run organically by Lidewij van Wilgen and her three daughters.
HOSPITALITY IS ABOUT MORE THAN THE FOOD ON THE PLATE. WHAT DETAILS DO YOU THINK MAKE A RESTAURANT MEMORABLE LONG AFTER THE MEAL HAS ENDED?
When I think back to some of the most memorable meals I’ve had, the food is really just one part of the experience. I think what people really remember is how they were treated, and how they were made to feel. We’re lucky to have very dedicated staff who feel the same way and are able to understand the balance of being warm, fun, but still knowledgeable and professional.
It’s also good to remember that everyone is dining for a different reason — some people might be celebrating, others might have had a really awful day. A restaurant should uplift and welcome you from the moment you walk in, and if we can make people feel even a little bit happier when they leave than when they arrived, then that’s enough.
WEST END HAS A DISTINCT CHARACTER AND CREATIVE ENERGY. IF SOMEONE WAS SPENDING A DAY IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD, WHERE WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE THEM TO EAT, WANDER OR DISCOVER?
West End is such a diverse and creative suburb to be in. There are some amazing Greek, Mediterranean and Italian wholesale food stores, where you can get wedges of cheese, olives, marinated artichokes by the kilo, and spanikopita by the slice. The organic farmer’s markets are also on every Saturday, down near the river. GOMA and QAG are also just a few minutes away, which are always worth visiting, for the architecture of the buildings alone. We get a lot of customers joining us for a weekend lunch, who then wander down to see an exhibition, which sounds lovely!
RUNNING A RESTAURANT IS DEEPLY COLLABORATIVE. HOW HAVE THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU; FROM PRODUCERS AND WINEMAKERS TO ARTISTS AND YOUR TEAM, HELPED SHAPE AUGUST INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY?
Our staff are our biggest asset, and we feel very lucky that they are so dedicated. Restaurants are not always easy, and it’s nice to be able to take positive momentum from each other. We are quite pedantic about the small details, and our staff treat the restaurant like it is their own.
WHETHER IT'S A FAVOURITE COOKBOOK, AN EXHIBITION, A MEAL, OR SOMEWHERE YOU'VE TRAVELLED, WHAT HAS INSPIRED YOU RECENTLY, AND HOW MIGHT THOSE INFLUENCES FIND THEIR WAY INTO AUGUST?
We were lucky enough to visit The River Cafe earlier this year, and it was as exceptional as I’d hoped. Their large, open-plan kitchen and dining room, and the efficiency of their staff, created such a momentous energy that I found hugely motivating. I like dining rooms that feel democratic in a way - no private space, and everyone can have a view of the kitchen. I found it very impressive that despite their fame, their approach to hospitality felt so unpretentious, nearly 40 years on.
