Chef Michael Neat and the Berry Farm team are celebrating a big win this month with the announcement that the Rosa Glen cafe was voted Western Australia's best regional Countrywide Café of the Year 2019.
The competition aimed to highlight the efforts of cafes around the country, with staff service, food, beverages and ambience all counting towards votes gathered from customers visiting the Cottage Cafe.
"I'm just really proud of everyone from the kitchen team to the front of house crew, to the behind the scenes crew who make life so enjoyable for us all here every day," Mr Neat told the Mail last week.
Having spent time cooking at venues in the region since arriving two years ago, Mr Neat took the reins at the Cottage Cafe, a popular spot for tourists and locals.
"We definitely have an interesting and ever-changing clientele which allows us to put some fun stuff on the menu but also means we need to keep a level of consistency with favourite items like the fresh baked scones and cakes."
Citing the reuben sandwich as his favourite item on the menu, the self confessed 'bread mad' chef said he had found a position that was "the dream of many chefs for their careers".
"To be able to work in this idyllic part of the world, and come here every day amongst the trees and the birds, with the kitchen garden and beautiful produce at our fingertips, I count myself as incredibly lucky.
"[Berry Farm managers] Mike and Bec have been so welcoming and put a lot of trust in me to develop the menu, and they're always working alongside us to improve and keep our customers returning."
The latest achievement was a group effort by the cafe team, with front of house staff armed with iPads to encourage people to cast their votes after their meals.
"It was fantastic, everyone got on board and explained to our customers what we were trying to do, and there was so much enthusiasm from everyone," Mr Neat said.
"We have a small kitchen and limited space, so preparation and a lot of planning is very important to us.
"Reducing waste and being efficient with our time, space and small team of staff means there is heaps of work behind the scenes to keep those large groups of diners happy.
"On a busy day, such as Father's or Mother's Day, you're looking at a few hundred people wanting to have lunch, cake, coffee and to enjoy the beautiful Berry Farm grounds.
"I'm incredibly proud of what the team manages to achieve each day and this award is recognition of that focus on quality and care."
