Restaurants

Mahjong Black
The Flavours of Hong Kong in Melbourne’s CBD
In 2010 we saw Max Tsang take another leap of faith into the restaurant world by opening an entirely different style of Cantonese restaurant in Melbourne’s CBD, on a par with leading Chinese restaurants. Opened by Melbourne’s Lord Mayor, Mahjong Black varies from it’s sister restaurant, not only through it’s location, but by being an unashamedly ‘flash’ restaurant, set over two beautiful yet intimate levels overlooking Little Collins Street

Mezzo Bar & Grill
Joseph Vargetto’s Sicilian heritage has been ‘tapping him on the shoulder’ for much of his cooking career. He’s now taken the plunge towards a distinctly Sicilian offering at his recently renamed Mezzo Bar & Grill. Joseph had also admired the work, passion and style of another Sicilian, Silvio Sgarioto for many years – they became business partners during Christmas 2010 and so the marriage of Mezzo was complete.

Merchant – Osteria Veneta
Guy Grossi’s 3rd Melbourne restaurnt is a brilliant celebration of all things Venetian in the heart of the CBD below the inspiring Rialto Tower.

France – Soir
In it’s 25th year France – Soir continues to be Melbourne’s most recognised and loved French restaurant.

400gradi
400 Gradi isn’t about hype or egos, it’s simply a wonderful celebration of Neapolitan food, it feels like an old friend -with the unassuming warmth of an Italian trattoria, pizzeria or enoteca. The youthful drive of chef and owner Johnny Di Francesco keeps the focus on Napoli and his recent accolade – having been the first Australian ever inducted into the Vera Napoli Association – means that there has been international recognition of his abilities

Orient Express
Irasshaimase! Is the welcoming greeting called, as you enter Orient Express, the newest addition to the Crown food hub, positioned just beside the entrance to the new Metropol Hotel at the western end of the Crown Complex – it’s a world first, but already feels very settled in its surrounds. Orient Express borrows its concept from the famous sushi trains of Japan, but takes the tradition up a notch, with the addition of a second layer – a fully enclosed upper deck – the perfect showcase of hot food, expanding the offerings beyond the usual sushi and sashimi.

Kouzina
Kouzina is a great new group of restaurants by Australian born Greek chef Theo Kostoglou. The first (Victorian) restaurants in the group attracted some flattering reviews, including ‘finessed Hellenic food’ and ‘Greece chic’. Theo has refined the classic Greek dishes of his youth, into a menu of predominantly ‘meze’ dishes (the little dishes of Greece). The menu borrows flavours from various Mediterranean countries, resulting in a contemporary and unique selection

Lezzet
When turning a house into a home, we collect things – paint, add ornaments, textures and colours that make us feel comfortable, relaxed and cocooned. In a way that’s what Kemal Barut has done at his Lezzet. He has let it grow and mellow over time, with an additional renovation this year resulting in a wonderful space that has all the attributes of a home. Lezzet has two areas – an expansive glassed sidewalk space over looking the tree lined Brighton Road (look straight ahead at the end of Chapel Street and there it is) and also a main dining area inside that is all about mood lighting, authentic Turkish ornaments and walls draped with beautiful hand woven, heirloom rugs from Ankara.

France – Soir
Here’s what some of the experts say about this iconic Melbourne restaurant.
‘Few Melbourne wine lists can rival France-Soir’s. Owner and sommelier Jean-Paul Prunetti has more than 1500 different European and Australian wines on offer.’ ( Your Restaurants Aust)
Traditional French bistro dining has perhaps never been better exemplified than at this restaurant, the long-standing Sth Yarra institution. (De Groots Best Restaurants Australia)
For some 20 years France-Soir has held the unofficial title of Melbourne’s most traditional and best French brasserie (Citysearch)

Canvas Restaurant
Canvas Restaurant is as much about style as it is about food. From the street front your eye is led upwards to an olive tree lined deck space that juts out from a large ‘curvilinear’ building. It tempts you to investigate further and that’s when the true flavour of Canvas is experienced. On the first floor the restaurant space is cleverly separated into two through a huge ornamental curlicue style floor to ceiling screen – a work of art in itself by sculptural artist Anne Marie May. It’s a spectacular space that demands something special from the food offerings and chef Pierre Khodja has the goods! He tempts with a menu influenced by both The Maghreb and his French upbringing. Stretching from the Atlas Mountains to the Mediterranean Sea – the food of The Maghreb is tinged not only with the flavours of Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, but also by Spain, Portugal and Sicily.

Bouzy Rouge
Bouzy Rouge – where do you begin to describe it ? A confident style, unique interiors and it’s strong food focus really show what owners Jose and Sandra D’Oliviera are all about. Sophistication is apparent in everything they touch and when they reinvented their very first hotel 23 years ago, (when the norm was sticky burgundy carpet and royal blue chairs) they surrounded us with French blackamoors, bronze urns, angels and marble tables – they really opened our eyes to the possibilities of drinking and dining in beautiful surrounds. They cleverly transformed their first five old treasures into elegant multi award winning and ultimately very comfortable hotels, that people naturally gravitate towards.

Sebel Reef House and Spa
Virginia Hellier consulting have had a long running association with the wonderful Sebel Reef House and Spa restaurant under chef Phil Mitchell.

Mirka at Tolarno
Virginia Hellier consulting has been involved in launching this wonderful St Kilda restaurant.

Grossi Florentino 1999 – current
Hellier Consulting are retained by the Grossi family on an ongoing basis to promote Grossi Florentino Restaurant. We continue to achieve ongoing press coverage for the restaurant centered around this well known family who own it, also regarding restoration of the entire restaurant including the Mural Room, The Grill and the Samuel Wynn Room. Hellier Consulting have also assisted Guy Grossi with the formulation of his books about the restaurant and his Italian family recipes.

The Reef House Restaurant 2002 – ongoing
The Reef House restaurant overlooks the magnificent coral coast at Palm Cove, north Queensland. The restaurant is the signature dining room of the Sebel Reef House Resort and Spa, which Hellier Consulting have promoted over many years.

No 3 Station Pier
Hellier Consulting assisted the owners of this stunning new Beacon Cove development through three strategies. Firstly by attaining editorial publicity for their New Years Eve 2002 event resulting in many hundreds of bookings on the night. Then through the introduction of an excellent chef, Dianne Kerry, for the position of executive chef. Thirdly through a five month publicity strategy whereby editorial coverage was attained across the board. In their first year they were awarded a chefs hat in the Age Good Food Guide 2004.

Cecconi’s at Crown 1999-2002
During 1999, Hellier Consulting conducted an ongoing promotion of Olimpia Bortolotto’s latest venture, Cecconi’s, an elegant 300 seat restaurant at the Crown Entertainment complex. This strategy continued through to the year 2002 as Hellier’s maintain their ongoing promotional relationship with Cecconi’s, and particularly Olimpia Bortolotto.

” I have found Virginia to be most professional and intuitive, keeping my restaurants constantly to the fore.” Olimpia Bortolotto, Owner – Cecconi’s at Crown

The Florentino 1990 – 1999
During Lorraine Podgornik’s ownership of The Florentino, Hellier Consulting were retained as food, menu and business consultants. Plus all restaurant and management publicity during her nine years.

The Venetian Wine Bar and Restaurant
Hellier Consulting were retained to oversee and instigate the launch of this new restaurant in one of Melbourne’s best known locations. The launch of The Venetian saw the owners open their fourth restaurant, with another two successful properties in Sydney. To celebrate it’s first birthday Hellier Consulting were retained again in 2002 to instigate activities and promotions.

Smit Bar
The owner, Timothy Smith, having recently sold his highly successful The London restaurant and bistro in Beacon Cove, retained Hellier Consulting to launch and promote this small wine bar and meeting place in the food precinct of Grey Street, St Kilda. The promotion was highly successful and there are plans afoot to extend the services of Smit Bar.

Red Orange Restaurant
Hellier Consulting consulted to the owner and management of red orange three months prior to the opening, putting into place a complete promotional strategy involving the launch and ongoing publicity. red orange has proved to be a great success after the restaurant in its previous guise, the Blue Elephant, struggled under the previous management. Therefore, Hellier Consulting’s suggested changes to the appearance, management, menu, etc quickly proved to be a huge financial success for the owners, and we continue our ongoing promotional activities for the restaurant. red orange was awarded one hat in the Age Good Food Guide awards in their first year of business.

Mode Restaurant
Hellier Consulting instigated the launch event for Mode Restaurant in Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, after successfully launching other restaurants associated with the owners of Mode. Mode successfully accomplished one hat in the Age Good Food Guide awards within their first month of operation.

Barolo Restaurant
Hellier Consulting were retained to regenerate this well known South Yarra restaurant. Hellier’s activities began with consulting on matters from menu themeing and creation through to staffing levels, signage and publicity.

The London Restaurant & Hotel 1998/99
Hellier Consulting promoted this recently renovated restaurant café and bar complex at Station Pier in the Beacon Cove development, including advice on brochures, signage and advertising. Our activities also involved promoting special events and activities, as well as chef and owners ongoing profiles and introductions to the Age Good Food Guide editors and journalists.

Dimattina’s 292 Restaurant and Bar
Paul Dimattina, well known for his football profile, retained Hellier’s services to ensure that his restaurant was recognised as the very best available in Lygon Street and quite unique to the area. Hellier Consulting promoted the restaurant over a three month period, resulting in an extreme increase in sales and overall recognition and the successful sale of the business within its first year.

The Rivers Group
Hellier Consulting’s activities involved consulting to the owners and staff of the Rivers restaurants and Yarra River venues regarding publicity, décor, management issues. etc. including ongoing publicity for the Rivers Restaurant & Bar at Pier 35, Rivers Receptions at South Wharf, and promotion of the Yarra River dining vessel, the Rivers Lady Lindeman, and plan to launch for Rivers the largest vessel of its type in the southern hemisphere, M. V. Voyager. Other work for the Group included its Mobile Kosher Kitchen business a smaller vessel, M.V. Sapphire, and a venue at Pier 35 Marina.

De Bortoli Vineyard Restaurant
Our consultancy to the restaurant, tasting rooms and cellar door sales area involves responsibility for the design and creation of the cellar door sales area and the private tasting rooms at the vineyard, including the interior concept, colours, finishes, carpets, furnishings, table settings, decorative art, etc. Hellier Consulting oversaw the work in progress at this venue which has attracted over one million visitors since its completion. In 2002 Hellier Consulting assisted in the selection process of the new Chef and promotion of him.