Mother and daughter team Jenna and Michele Stummer are changing the lunchtime eating habits of office workers in Perth’s CBD. Through their boutique-style café in the newly renovated Mill Green Plaza, the Stummers are providing fresh, healthy options, which, according to Michele, are unlike anything else in the area.
“I had a café in the plaza prior to its renovations and when I decided to open @Panache, I wanted to offer something a bit different,” says Michele. “Then my daughter came on board and shifted the focus to the vibrant, ever-changing café it is today.”
While best known as a lunchtime drop-in, @Panache was designed to showcase its warm, comfortable and upmarket appeal. Its ample indoor and outdoor seating make it the go-to place for respite for busy corporate folk in need of a meal or a good coffee.
“Since our trade has increased over 100 per cent in the last 12 months, our coffee offering has been a huge area of growth,” says Michele. “Coffee is now a core part of the business.”
Created on a Kees van der Westen three-group machine, @Panache serves Toby’s Estate’s Black Swan blend, which was created for the Western Australia palate. “The Black Swan blend is sweet and clean with the taste of stone fruit when served black,” says Michele. “As a milk-based coffee it gives off notes of butterscotch and dried apricots.”
While Michele gets busy behind the coffee machine and front of house, Jenna runs the kitchen. “Before we re-opened we consulted a nutritionist who talked us through our menu options,” says Michele. “We’ve come up with a ‘living menu’ that changes daily. Everything is prepared in store each day with lots of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.”
Michele says one of the café’s signature dishes is the almond bircher muesli, made fresh daily on-site. It contains traditional oats, nuts, dried fruit, maple syrup, and vanilla bean, soaked in fresh almond milk.
“Perth is definitely on board the healthy eating trend,” says Michele. “I love the café, I enjoy getting in everyday and seeing the business grow. It’s especially nice to know that we’re making a change to people’s eating habits.”
