Biography
At the age of 40, George Calombaris is one of Australia's top chefs. His highly influential style of cuisine has earned him many accolades and much respect from culinary aficionados in Australia and around the globe. George has always been fascinated by food. Inspired by his mother and grandmother, two brilliant cooks, George quickly learnt about food and cooking. Although born and bred in Melbourne (Australia), his Greek heritage was central in his upbringing. With its rich and varied cuisine there was no doubt that this would later become George's trademark.
His heritage not only instilled in him his love for food; it taught him about the enjoyment and satisfaction of seeing others revel in great food and unforgettable dining experiences.
George's career has been exceptional from the beginning. He completed his apprenticeship at one of Melbourne’s five star hotels Hotel Sofitel, where he won the Bonland National Apprentice of the Year Award in 1999. Soon after, George found himself leading a team of 11 qualified and apprentice chefs at MasterChef co-judge Gary Mehigan’s Fenix Restaurant. Among the many accolades achieved during George’s time at Fenix, the restaurant was honoured with the 2001 Restaurant of the Year for Victoria, as part of Melbourne’s Food and Wine Festival with the Herald Sun.
In 2003, George was selected to represent Australia at the Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Grand Prix in Lyon, France. He achieved the best ever result for an Australian representative at that time. In the same year, George was the mastermind behind the successful Melbourne restaurant Reserve, where his own personal style was on show. His food was an often-surprising hybrid of classical haute cuisine and experimental ideas. Quoted as “very out there”, George’s molecular gastronomy has seen him become a much talked about chef on the international cooking circuit. As a result, in 2004, the Global Food and Wine Magazine voted George as one of the Top 40 Chefs of Influence in the World.
In The Age Good Food Guide (2004), George was awarded with 'Young Chef of the Year 2004' and Reserve won 'Best New Restaurant' as well as receiving two prestigious chefs hats. Following these awards, George was swiftly approached to Guest Chef on many television programmes and later taking on a regular appearance on Australia's popular daytime TV show Ready Steady Cook.
In October 2006, at the age of 27, George opened his flagship restaurant, The Press Club Restaurant and Bar and directly adjacent The Press Club Bar, which would be remodelled to become The Little Press & Cellar in 2010. This began a new era for George and cemented his place as a culinary star for his Modern Greek Cuisine - never seen before Melbourne; where modern twists to traditional Greek cuisine has put this restaurant on the global map and has diner's wanting more.
George’s 'Modern Greek' concept paid off. At the Victorian Restaurant and Catering Awards in 2006 The Press Club was named Best New Restaurant and nominated for Best New Restaurant in Australia.
At the 2008 Age Good Food Guide Awards, The Press Club was awarded two prestigious chef hats and named 'Best New Restaurant 2008'. George was also awarded 'Chef of the Year 2008'. It was also in 2008 that The Age Melbourne Magazine named George Top 100 Most Influential People.
In 2009 George was chosen as a judge on what was to become Australia’s best rating TV show in history, MasterChef Australia. Now commencing its 11th series, MasterChef Australia has become a benchmark for MasterChef programmes around the world, including its edition of Junior MasterChef.
It is needless to say that George is constantly pushing the boundaries and in 2011 he was awarded 2011 Entrepreneur of Year Southern Region Emerging category in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year Awards. This prestigious accolade was in recognition of George’s involvement in establishing MAdE Establishment, which had grown to encompass seven restaurants in five years, his role as a judge on MasterChef Australia, and individual pursuits in terms of cookbook and establishing the George Calombaris brand.
Time never sits still with Calombaris, The Press Club closed to make room for Gazi, which opened in May 2013. Which took up the original space of The Press Club as it moved to a smaller space next door.
Named after and inspired by an eclectic neighbourhood surrounding an old gasworks in Athens, GAZI is a Greek restaurant in Melbourne CBD where anything goes. From the ink-splattered walls to industrial steel benches, GAZI is a no-frills, no-fuss bar-slash-Greek-restaurant where you can drink, eat and let loose – without the rules.
Off the back of Gazi in August 2013, George brought to life his casual souvlaki bar - Jimmy Grants. Celebrating the story of Australia’s many immigrants and branching out across Melbourne in Fitzroy, CBD, Ormond, Richmond, Brunswick, St Kilda and stores across Sydney.
In 2016 we saw another “Hellenic” instalment Hellenic Hotel in Williamstown, taking over the old Hobsons Bay Hotel on Ferguson street.
And in 2017 the vibrant Hellenic Republic Brighton brought Church Street to life.
.jpg)
