Meet the three brothers behind Gold Coast cult-favourite Italian restaurant Gemelli Italian… oh and Gemellini, and Roy’s, and their latest Brisbane venture, Gemelli Italian James St! Do Paul, James & Alec really need that much more of an introduction? Famous for their Italian restaurant’s authenticity and wholesome food, we got to know the boys ahead of World Pasta Day on 25 October 2021. Get to know more about their local loves and a sneaky insight into their favourite dishes!

Tell us a bit about yourselves.
Alec & James (28) and Paul (32). We grew up in the Italian rich agricultural community of Griffith in NSW, so have always been surrounded by food and wine. We grew up making pasta sauce and salami every year, so we have had an amazing upbringing in that sense. Hence our passion for our culture and of course, the food that comes with it. We’ve all had times living around various places including going to school in Sydney. James and Alec lived in Sydney and Paul lived in London for a few years prior to all relocating to the Gold Coast – and shortly after starting Gemelli in Broadbeach!

How long have you been Gold Coast locals?
We all moved here back in November 2013, so it’s nearly been 8 years which is crazy! We definitely love being here and call ourselves locals now.

What do you each love the most about the Gold Coast?
Paul (P): We have some of the most beautiful landscapes here and all so accessible.
James (J): Laid-back lifestyle for sure. Having the beach a stroll away and how the Gold Coast people are is awesome.
Alec (A): How chilled it is as a city. I’ve lived in Sydney before and it’s too hectic, the pace of life is great here.

Tell us how your first venture, Gemelli Italian in Broadbeach, first came about?
J: I was running a restaurant back in our hometown of Griffith in NSW. Our Nonni (Italian grandparents) lived on the GC and we’d always come for holidays here. We saw a gap in the market and were young and hungry to do something! Looking back it was definitely a very gutsy move but being a bit naive and just passionate really helped us, we always had a vision and stuck to it.

What does a typical day in the life of each of you look like?
We try to get up early and get active – beach swim, gym whatever that may be. Then into work for the restaurant, be it in service or meeting with suppliers and staff; then back by night service! Can be very long days, but we love it.

What is your most popular dish across all restaurants?
A: Would probably say our Gnocchi. We hand-make it fresh every day and it’s amazingly soft. It has taken years to perfect it!

If you could only live off three Italian dishes for the rest of your lives, what would they be and why?
P: I’m pasta obsessed – so would have to be Rigatoni Amatriciana… classic dish in Rome and has all the goods you could ever want!
A: Seafood is a big love of mine. So I’d have to go with Spaghetti Vongole. When we were over in Italy, it was that most days for lunch in the hot sun. Just perfect!
J: For those who know – Granita e Brioche. It’s a Sicilian dish of brioche bread and granita which is a sorbet-like fruit. Use the brioche and dip into the granita….that for breakfast is heaven.

If you had to recommend just one Gemelli Italian pasta dish to order for dinner, what would it be?
Rigatoni Ragu – it’s just such a wholesome and delicious pasta. It’s our Nonna’s recipe and it reminds us of special family lunches on a Sunday where we would all get together.

We know a restaurant in Brisbane has been an aspiration of yours for some time, and now since recently opening, what’s next for the Carney brothers?
Try not to kill each other haha! No, it’s been amazing getting to Brisbane, it has been a dream of ours for a while now, and to have it come to life is special. Nothing set in stone but maybe a smaller project – still Italian, but something slightly different perhaps!

What are your Gold Coast favourites…
Café:
P: Espresso Moto is for sure. Always spot on, they do a great job in every aspect!
J:  Milkman’s Daughter is perfectly situated at the end of our street and I just love the food there!
Restaurant:
J&A: Itoshin in Mermaid and The Tropic in Burleigh, basically two spots we frequent a lot haha
P: I’ve got a few I love – Lupo, Glenelg Public House, Jimmy Wahs, North Room and Rick Shores is pretty hard to beat on a beautiful day with a wine in hand haha
Bar or pub for a drink:
P: I like to keep it simple and local – a beer at Nobbys Surf Club is ideal.
A: Sitting outside Rick Shores with a Spritz in hand is pretty special.

How do you choose to spend your weekends?
P: We’re normally working to be honest haha! But downtime is definitely chill time and time to recharge the batteries. Relaxing at the beach, eating some nice food, maybe a few glasses of wine. And sometimes trying to get a round of golf in!

Some would never imagine getting into business with their siblings, but some actually flourish in the partnership. Enter brother and sister duo, Georgie & Coopa Stevenson. These two are a force to reckon with; and are taking the health and wellbeing industry by storm with their Gold Coast born business, Naked Harvest Supplements. We were able to ask what it’s really like running a business with family and why both Georgie & Coopa love the Gold Coast lifestyle.

How long have you both been Gold Coast locals?
G: I’ve lived here for 2 years and Coopa has lived here for 3 years. Before that we were Brisbane locals!

Tell us how Naked Harvest Supplements came about.
G: Naked Harvest was founded by Coopa and I a few years ago, and the idea behind it was that we’ve both always had an interest in taking supplements to compliment a healthy lifestyle and wanted to bring to the market something that was natural, yummy and without any extra crap. We both personally have had issues in the past with supplements and our intolerances, so we thought let’s bring something to the people like us and that’s how Naked Harvest started.

What makes running a business on the Gold Coast so great?
C: We love the lifestyle! The fact that you can wake up, go for a beach walk, get into work so quickly with barely any traffic! I live so close to work and it’s just so easy getting around. I love to go to the beach in the afternoon as well, it’s just great that it’s so easy to get around everywhere!

What’s it like being in business with your sibling?
C: Working with a sibling can definitely be challenging at times but definitely comes with its rewards. We’re so lucky that we’ve also been able to bring our parents on board too, so the whole family is involved! The best thing about working with family is that you have a trust that comes so naturally, and that’s priceless!

Tell us what your proudest entrepreneurial moment is?
G: When we reflect and look back at all the things we’ve achieved with Naked Harvest, the community we have built is something we’re the proudest of! Having such a support system around our brand is something that money can’t buy and something we said from day one we wanted to focus on! Our community is the reason Naked Harvest is where it is today!

What is one message you wish you could share with people about their wellness?
G: It’s a journey, it’s not a destination. It’s something that constantly changes and it’s something you constantly work on and be in tune with and give your attention to. It’s not an end goal, it’s something we work on and it can constantly change!

What does the future have in store for Naked Harvest Supplements?
C: We have so many exciting things coming up for Naked Harvest! We want Naked Harvest products to optimise someone’s day from morning to evening and give our community everything they need for a healthy lifestyle. We’re always listening to our #NHgang and taking their feedback on what they want next, so watch this space!

What are your Gold Coast favourites…
Café: G: Niche and Co – I love their Acai bowls! + C: Wildernis Cafe
Coffee spot: G: Custard Canteen + C: Jefferson Coffee Nook
Restaurant: G: The Collective + C: Las Palmas
Bar or pub for a drink: G: Burleigh Pavilion + C: Palm Beach Surf Club

How do you choose to spend your weekends?
G: My partner Tim and I might go up to Beechmont, we love the Gold Coast Hinterland and have a chill weekend getting off our phones and just relaxing. If not, our Sunday tradition is Sunday morning coffee on the beach with no phones with just us and the doggies.
C: I love to play golf and surf on the weekends! It’s why I love the Gold Coast so much, it’s so easy for me to do things I enjoy! I also LOVE spending time with my son Bohdi outdoors!

Adam Dundas-Taylor is the local Executive Chef who has rubbed shoulders with some of the culinary world’s greatest, but the Gold Coast is lucky to have him home. From working long hours at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen in his earlier years, to serving London’s finest at Nobu Mayfair (rated the 10th best restaurant in the world at the time) and even cooking at Elton John’s wedding, Adam has quite the envious resume. But Adam wanted to pursue his own passions, so made the decision to relocate his family to Bali in 2013 and open the swanky Latin American restaurant Barbacoa, quickly followed by FireCue in Nobby’s Beach on the Coast. While Adam made the decision to close FireCue (much to the disappointment of those who ventured weekly for Adam’s expertise in charcoal grilled meat), we are excited to now see him join the Miss Moneypenny’s kitchen team as Executive Chef in Broadbeach. So we sat down for a chat with Adam on his recent appointment and to enquire if his specialty charcoal grill meat dishes would also be introduced to the Miss Moneypenny’s menu.

How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
Since my late teens..

What do you love most about living here?
I like the pace of the Gold Coast, relaxed yet there’s always something happening and changing, it’s also a family orientated locations and the food scene here is ever evolving.

You’ve recently joined forces with Miss Moneypenny’s, how did that come about?
I was in conversations with Director Ben Walsh when Miss Moneypenny’s was still in its construction stage, however at the time I was in Europe and contracted to  consult for restaurants in Mexico, so my overseas commitments did not allow me to be in contention for Executive Chef role of The Good Time Group. After I returned to the coast, Ben reapproached me to fill in and consult as they were filling the position. However, I really enjoy working in these beautiful spaces, with the best sourced products and the challenge of running two very different menus servicing both Miss Moneypennys and Fat Freddy’s Diner so much, that I have now formerly accepted the role of Executive Chef and I couldn’t be happier.

Talk us through the new menu you’ve created?
Miss Moneypenny’s transpired in Noosa seven years ago and our regular returning guests know us best for modern Mediterranean share plates, award-winning cocktails and world-class pizzas. I am enjoying this space and bringing my influence of BBQ fired dishes with a large showcase of seafood and sensational locally sourced produce.

Do you have a favourite new dish?
I’m really excited to launch our new Fish Pie, it’s taken me a long time to perfect! It is very unique and it’s a Sri Lankan-style fish curry, subtle in flavour yet so very tasty!

How does the rest of 2020 look for you?
Very busy.  Miss Moneypenny’s has already established a cult following at Noosa and now on the Gold Coast.

Tell us about your career as one of Australia’s most renowned chefs, how did you get to where you are?
I have travelled the world tasting and being influenced by all different cuisines. I guess I just naturally progressed. I’ve always loved my roles, I really enjoy the challenge of running a kitchen team, delivering beautiful dishes and being an Executive Chef.

Tell us your favourites on the Coast:
Cafe for breakfast: Upstairs at Wildernis Cafe & Bar overlooking the ocean in Palm Beach. Great spot to start your day. What a view!
Restaurant for dinner: I’m a family man, so I do like a family restaurant, Gemelli is always a hit with the kids and if I’m taking my beautiful wife out for dinner, we do like a night out at Mamasan.
How does your weekend usually look: (Chef laughs) Like the inside of Miss Moneypenny’s kitchen!