A refined legacy
WORDS Liam Stretch PHOTOS Mick Stephenson and Chloe Mundy
Michael Rowland-Jones, the Head Chef and co-owner of the newly refurbished Brigittes of Merivale, is excited to continue to share his skills in creating top quality food.
This passion for good food and its potential all began during his university days in Dunedin, where he lived with six other people in a flat and cooked fresh food every night.
“We had a dining room table, which in Dunedin flats were few and far between. We established the culture of sitting down and enjoying a meal together.”
This developed Michael’s passion for cooking and led him to pursue a career as a chef. His introduction to the industry was at the famous Yellow Cross, previously in central Christchurch’s Sol Square.
After an extended tenure in London working in Michelin-starred restaurants, including City Social, Michael felt the call to come home. He returned to Christchurch and worked at Universo and later Miro. It was at Miro where Michael further refined his craft.
After a few years, Michael had a defining moment that would lead him to Brigittes. Jeremy Stevens and Frank Van Schaijik from the Aikmans Group happened to be looking for an Executive Chef, and were so impressed by Michael’s mince on toast that “a week later, I had the job,” Michael says.
Michael now performs various roles in his position within the group, but last year the opportunity came for him to take a leading role in an iconic establishment, Brigittes of Merivale. He proposed buying the business to Jeremy and Frank in July 2022, and the trio successfully added the establishment to their portfolio.
Since taking over Brigittes, they have made the space their own but maintained its quintessential character.
Michael has forged refined menu offerings. The menu is fresh and local, with almost everything made in-house. Michael believes good ingredients allow the chefs to take pride in their work, and this is reflected in the food. As Michael puts it, “The number one ingredient in food, apart from salt, is love.” Crowd favourites include the breakfast muffin, corn and courgette fritters with chilli sambal, and the chicken parmigiana.
The space has also been refined to allow for evening service while maintaining the Brigittes café style. There are subtle changes, such as the installation of a bar and a state-of-the-art La Marzocco coffee machine. The curved outdoor bench also connects the courtyard more with the interior and makes alfresco dining cosier and more attractive.
Repurposed and new wood panelling seamlessly ties into original features. The new wine rack has also allowed for a rethink of their wine list.
“The emphasis is on local; we’ve carefully selected some of the best of Canterbury,” says Jeremy. There will also be a range of top international wines.
Jeremy mentions that Brigittes is now more usable and restaurant-like. They wanted to create a space that had a “wine bar feel” and provided a “intimate date night dining experience” with the intention of making Brigittes a go-to destination.
With a little more refinement in the works, like new washrooms and further embellishments to the outdoor area, the legacy of Brigittes is set to continue to brighten for decades – go and see for yourself.