You’ve been asked to book a venue on the Gold Coast for a conference dinner. A friend is getting married and you need the hen’s night. It’s a family gathering, a fundraiser, or a birthday party and it falls on you. It’s only natural to want your function to be perfect. But where do you start? You’ve never done this before. You’re not a professional event planner.

Making sure you get the right venue is a critical step in organising your special event. So how do go about it?

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Malady: a disease or ailment, a serious problem.

There is a bug going around which seems to have changed the way we eat, it’s the Master Chef Malady. Okay, it’s not limited to Master Chef, it could be My Kitchen Rules, Food Safari or any number of cooking shows which grace our screens. Whatever the show, we have become obsessed with food, and the predictable diet where we order the same dishes week in week out is no longer enough.

So how do you know if you have the Master Chef Malady?

1. You know the proper pronunciation for acai,quinoa, and foie gras.
2. You photo your dinner more than you photo people.
3. In your spare time, you enjoy reading cooking blogs and dreaming up your ideal menu.
4. You’ve embroidered your initials on your cooking apron at home.
5. All of a sudden you eat quail.

On a more serious note, TV cooking shows have raised the bar on what we expect on our plate. The focus on fine food with unique twists and quality ingredients has meant we just want a little more in our meal out. Soggy bread and butter pudding or a lamb roast with cauliflower and white sauce simply doesn’t cut it anymore.

At Sage, we’re up for the challenge of meeting your culinary expectations. We understand that whether you are looking for a quiet dinner for two, or for a party venue hire, the quality and variety of the cuisine is paramount. It’s the little things like slow cooking our New England lamb shanks for 6 hours, with rosemary, thyme, garlic & cabernet shiraz so that the shank is both tender and bursting with flavour that make the difference. So too with our deserts. Try our creme brûlée with white chocolate infused with saffron Persian fairy floss.

Next time you sit down to watch Master Chef and find that the ingredients in your fridge are just, well, uninspiring,give us a call at Sage, ph. (07) 5538 9938. Like you, we have the Master Chef Malady and we are obsessed with providing you great food.

We’ve all been there. You open a menu and there is a dish or term which everybody seems to know. Except you. You are not even sure how to pronounce that cuisine, let alone know what it is!

If you’re brave enough you ask, “what exactly is…?” or, you just pretend to know.

At Sage you can always ask. Our team would be delighted to answer any questions you have about our menu items.

Maybe you’ve wondered – “What exactly is Tapas?”

Tapas comes from the Spanish word tapar, which means “to cover” or “lid”. There is a story that the first tapar was simply a piece of bread placed over a glass of wine to keep the flies out. You’ll be pleased to know that today tapas is more than a chunk of bread to put over your wine glass.

Traditionally they are small savoury dishes, snacks or appetisers of Spanish cuisine. It might be breads and meat, or a selection of dishes from ham, stuffed mussels, fried squid, to olives, sautéed mushroom and other vegetables.

Essentially, Tapas is a small plate or serving, and it’s a great way to try something new.

Tapas like many dishes, has evolved from its origins to include an international flavour. When the Romans invaded Spain they brought olives to the menu, others brought spices and almonds, and today as Tapas has spread across the world local flavours and ingredients have broadened the variety of Tapas dishes.

At Sage, our Tapas menu has influences from all over the world. You might want a lamb kofta skewer, grilled Spanish chorizo, Chinese 5 spice, baked Tasmanian brie, or slow cooked pork belly. That’s the beauty of Tapas, the chance to sample a variety of dishes in one meal.

Next time you’re out, grab a couple of friends, book at table at Sage Café Restaurant and suggest you go out for Tapas at Broadbeach. It’s a great meal option to enjoy with friends as you share small plates with tasty treats, accompanied by a nice wine or cold beer.