Professionals Tamborine Mountain 
Michael Shutte has worked in Tamborine Mountain Pasta since its opening, applying himself to every aspect of its operation— managing, cooking, even helping to build the place himself. Of course, this means there’s no-one more qualified to tell us what makes it so beloved by the community.
by Kyle Hitchmough
How did you get started working here?
They got me to do a little bit of the floorwork and the timberwork, and then managing the place. I’ve known the other Michael, the owner of this business and of Tamborine Mountain Pizza, for ten years or something like that, just from being a local. He’d been in to places I’d worked— he actually came into the Coffee Plantation and kind of poached me from there. He said he had an idea for a new business and wanted me to be a part of it.
Do you have any dishes that are more popular than others?
The bolognaise, the boscaiola, or the chicken pesto would be our three best-sellers. Then there’s ones like the mac-and-four-cheese or the salmon dill and caper, they move really well as well. They’re all tying for first, really.
Do you have a personal favourite?
Probably the salmon dill and caper. It’s good.
What was the inspiration behind opening this place?
Mike’s a very eclectic guy. He collects vintage cars; he’s got a very 1960s London sort of look to him. Wears a flat cap, blazers, you know. That’s very much the inspiration for the shop, that old-school 50s-60s little hidden away bars that you’d find. We’re currently extending.
What’s an average workload for you here?
We had a chef in here as well as myself, and I was in front while he did the cooking. Since all the COVID stuff happened I’ve taken over the cooking too, but otherwise it’s running the tables, serving the customers, ordering, all the kind of front-of-house stuff that needs to be done. A bit of everything. During COVID we closed the front and did takeaway, but otherwise it’s all the basic hospitality stuff.
Do you find you get any particular trends in clientele?
On weekends it’s definitely more tourist trade. It’d be 90% tourists and 10% locals. But then through the week that’s flipped. We have quite a few locals that come back each and every week, even multiple times a week, to get pasta or switching between pizza and pasta. I wouldn’t really say there’s a demographic either because we get everybody. I have a bunch of schoolkids that come every Thursday, I have a guy who’s 93 who comes in every Monday, and everyone in between.
So this location and Tamborine Mountain Pizza have the same owner. Are there any other links between the businesses?
Apart from the same owner and the same sort of vibe, there’s not really a link. We kind of work together. You can order pasta and a pizza and have that delivered. If people want to get a pizza and eat it in here, they’re more than welcome to. We’re like one business but split into different locations .
Are you a local? What’s your opinion on the Tamborine Mountain area and community?
Yep, born and raised. It’s the best little place. We live up here because we were planning on having our little one and raising him up here, because I was brought up here. My wife was more or less raised up here, it’s just one of those places that’s an awesome place to have a family grow up.
What do you think Tamborine Mountain Pasta brings to the area?
Apart from good pasta? I think we have a unique sort of vibe. There’s no other place that really looks like this or has the same kind of style we do. We are putting in a little bar at the back, it’ll be a place you can sit, have a nice bowl of pasta or a pizza, a couple of beers or a cocktail and chill out. Not get rowdy, but just relax. It’ll bring a little bit more class to it.
What do you enjoy most about working here?
Apart from eating the good pasta? The people! I’ve been in hospitality for years; it’s been like 11 years now. And yeah, seeing the different people and making new friends every day, that’s it. People are super lovely here too, I don’t think we’ve ever had a bad customer.
