TJ Viljoen has had an unusual retirement. Having left his position as CEO for the Asia Pacific region of an international company, TJ decided it was time to open a restaurant with his wife Lizelle. For three years, they have successfully built and run Pasture of Balmoral: a sustainable and peaceful “safe haven” for customers in the coastal suburb of Mosman.
The name “pasture” is inspired by the duo’s African heritage, with pasture meaning a place of rest and peace — a feeling the beachside café embodies.
“We always had this vision to create a sustainable restaurant that works with local producers and suppliers,” says TJ.
“I think human connection is one of the most important things in life, and hospitality really allows you to create these relationships.”
The café focuses on traceability in every ingredient.
“For example, our eggs are all free-range sourced from the Kangaroo Valley in Sydney, our garlic comes from a small business who grows them in the Blue Mountain area, and our meats and veggies we can directly trace back to the farm and the producers,” says TJ.
This same standard is applied to Pasture of Balmoral’s coffee, which is why TJ chose Will & Co as its roaster.
“When we were looking for coffee suppliers, we wanted to know the faces we were working with, where the coffee was coming from, and if the farmers were being treated fairly,” says TJ.
“Through customer recommendations we heard about Will & Co, and after our team, including myself, our baristas, and our regular customers, did a blind sampling test, they were the decisive winner.”
TJ says what has distinguished the Sydney based coffee is its hint of sweet flavours. The roaster’s most popular blend at Pasture of Balmoral is the Eight-O-Eight, which is described as finely balanced with sweet floral aroma, crisp acidity, and a caramel finish.
“We have a wide demographic from older generations to young parents and we found that this flavour best suited everyone’s taste preferences,” says TJ. “Our customer base is mostly Mosman locals and we’ve really become a classic neighbourhood joint.”
Pasture of Balmoral
51 The Esplanade, Mosman, New South Wales 2088
Open Sunday to Thursday 6:30am – 4pm and Friday to Saturday 6:30am —10pm
This article appears in the December 2021 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.