Owner of four epic Gold Coast venues.
Owner of four epic Gold Coast venues.
He’s the man behind three of your favourite Broadbeach venues, The Loose Moose, Roosevelt Lounge and Koi, as well as Glass Restaurant at Marina Mirage and mentoring the girls at Broadbeach newbie GG’s Eatery & Bar. With such a diverse local restaurant portfolio, it’s safe to say Patrik Gennari knows hospitality.
We sat down for a chat with the man who has been feeding Gold Coast locals exceptional food for decades to chat being born into the industry and new venue plans for 2018.
How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
I moved to the Gold Coast from Sweden 25 years ago.
What is your favourite thing about living here?
The lifestyle, the people and the perfect weather. We seriously live in the best place in the world.
How did your foray into the hospitality industry come about?
I was pretty much born into the restaurant industry with my father owning restaurants throughout Europe and Asia. I went to restaurant school in Sweden and then ventured to the Gold Coast to open my first restaurant 25 years ago.
Of all the venues you’ve opened, which is your favourite to spend time in?
I love spending time in Koi. It was the first big venture I opened and there was a lot of blood, sweat and tears that went into creating it all those years ago. I see it as my baby, so I have a soft spot for Koi Dining & Lounge Bar.
Why do you think they’re each so popular?
The Gennari Group has done a fantastic job of diversifying our portfolio. Our tagline is “something for everyone” and I truly do believe we do.
Your venues are all quite unique, how do you come up with such diverse concepts?
Koi in Broadbeach was the first restaurant of its kind 11 years ago, when we opened it, and we haven’t really changed the format of always delivering great food. It’s all about consistently great food… in prime locations. All our restaurants have fantastic atmospheres. With Glass, we designed the restaurant to capture the magnificent view of Marina Mirage. With The Loose Moose, we noticed a lack of anything like it on the Gold Coast. Same for the Roosevelt Lounge. There was nowhere that offered a beautiful dining experience followed by dancing with live entertainment.
What do you have planned for the remainder of 2018?
I have a few things in the pipeline so you’ll be seeing more of our venues popping up.
What’s the best piece of life advice you’ve ever received?
“Don’t take anything for granted”. I am constantly trying to better my brands with each brand having some sort of refurbishment every couple of years. I am fully aware that you are only as strong as the people around you.
Tell us your favourites on the Coast…
Beach: Broadbeach
Cafe: GGs Eatery & Bar (formerly Grocer and Grind)
Restaurant: Kyomi, The Star Gold Coast
How do your weekends usually look? The weekends are the busiest part of my week, with late nights visiting all four venues. A sleep in is what I look forward to.
