As Cheeky Monkey prepares to open at Brookfield Place, the Margaret River brewery and hospitality brand is bringing its laidback South West energy into the heart of Perth’s CBD. With elevated pub classics, a strong focus on local producers and 24 taps pouring some of its most awarded beers, the venue aims to become a relaxed social hub within one of the city’s busiest dining precincts.
We caught up with Brendan Day, Director of Operations, to talk about translating the spirit of the South West to a city audience, the thinking behind the menu, and how Cheeky Monkey plans to deliver high quality hospitality without ego in a premium urban setting.
Brendan, Brookfield Place has emerged as one of Perth’s most dynamic dining precincts. What role do you see Cheeky Monkey playing within that ecosystem, and how will this flagship venue contribute something distinctive to the broader hospitality conversation in the CBD?
Brookfield Place is already a premier destination. We see Cheeky Monkey stepping in as the casual anchor, the social heart of the precinct, while still delivering the high quality experience that our customers and visitors to Brookfield expect. Our role is to add a new layer of energy to the area, somewhere that’s effortless and inviting from the moment you walk in.
You’ve described the menu as elevated pub favourites with global influence. Can you share some specific examples of dishes and explain how they move beyond traditional pub fare in terms of produce sourcing, technique and culinary ambition?
We really love taking the comfort and familiarity of a pub style meal and giving it a bit of a cheeky uplift, focusing primarily on Asian, American and South American influences. Some great examples on our current menu are “Surf and Turf Tacos”: rump steak, Australian grilled prawns, pico de gallo, grilled pineapple, pickled onion, lime crema and mango habanero sauce.
“Nashville Chicken”: fried chicken tenders coated with Nashville spicy oil, grilled lettuce wedge, blue cheese crumble, ranch sauce, bacon, croutons and smashed tater tots.
Or just doing something like a hamburger really, really well, like our “Smash Burger”: beef patty, American cheese, lettuce, pickles, onion and burger sauce, served with chips and aioli.
Cheeky Monkey’s identity is deeply rooted in the Margaret River region. From an operational perspective, how will you translate the essence of the South West for a central city audience while retaining that strong sense of place?
Honouring the sense of place of the Brookfield site while keeping it authentic to who we are and what we do was a primary consideration before pen ever went to paper in signing leases or drafting design documents.
Bringing that authentic South West hospitality is a multilayered approach. Seeding the team with staff who already work in the business helps get the culture right from day one, which translates into casual, welcoming, friendly experiences for our customers.
Embedding our Cheeky textures into the venue and showcasing those that already align, like the natural red brick, adding timber and concrete, and bringing greenery into the space, will make it feel authentically Cheeky. Then reinforcing our South West roots with intentional choices like having a 100 percent South West wine list, exactly like we do at our other venues.
Getting all of this right will create that slice of feeling like you’re in the South West. High quality, but casual. No ego, just excellent service and delicious food and bev.
With 24 taps showcasing your most awarded beers, will the Brookfield Place venue feature site specific brews, limited releases or collaborations that reflect its metropolitan setting?
This is something we’re staying a little quiet about for now, but absolutely is the short answer. We’re already in discussion about a very local collaboration, and Rocko Lager has become an absolute mainstay at our Rockingham venue.
You’ve spoken about delivering high quality hospitality without ego or pretence. In a premium city precinct that often trades on polish and exclusivity, how do you balance approachability with delivering a destination worthy experience?
For us, a destination worthy experience comes down to flawless execution, whatever your offering is. For us, that centres around a casual and welcoming environment that’s authentic and baked into our culture and doesn’t feel forced, while delivering high quality food designed to complement our award winning beers.
It’s about having a team that can talk deeply about a complex barrel aged beer or the provenance of our beef, but doing it with the same casual warmth as sharing a chat with a friend. Having a deep level of subject matter expertise, but communicating it in a casual way and never talking down. Any venue delivering that kind of experience is enough to get me excited to travel to it.
Sustainability and provenance are increasingly non-negotiable for serious diners. How will the venue embed Western Australian producers and environmental responsibility into both the kitchen and drinks program from day one?
Sustainability for our business is baked into our DNA, from solar power, to spent grain going to farmers, to smart menu creation to reduce waste, to using local suppliers first and foremost where possible, to our all South West wine list in our venues. It’s something we live and breathe.
We also like to focus on social sustainability as well. For example, all of our eligible staff have access to free 24/7 telehealth services and, on the customer side, we’re proud to support events like free venue hire for Women in Defence events.
We believe sustainability is more than just green initiatives. It’s about environment, social and governance, and it’s a core pillar of how we choose to do business.