GEORGE CALOMBARIS

The Press Club is the flagship venue for chef and restaurateur George Calombaris.

George began cooking in the kitchens of his mother and grandmother, developing his passion for traditional Greek and Cypriot foods.

In 2003 George became head chef at Reserve, Federation Square and produced a menu the likes of which Melbourne had never seen. Reserve closed with two prestigious chef's hats from The Age Good Food Guide, and George as the reigning Young Chef of the Year.

In October 2006 The Press Club opened - a temple for Hellenic gastronomy; a tribute to his culture, cuisine and the hospitality of his family.

In 2008, George released his first cookbook ‘The Press Club – Modern Greek Cookery’, was a regular on ‘Ready, Steady. Cook!’, and was named The Age Good Food Guide’s Chef of the Year for 2009. In the European summer, George launched ‘The Belvedere Club’ at the uber-exclusive Belvedere Hotel in Mykonos, Greece.

In December 2008 Hellenic Republic, a Greek taverna in East Brunswick, opened. George’s second cookbook ‘Greek Cookery from the Hellenic Heart’, focusing on the very best of Hellenic Republic, was released in September 2009.

2010 was a busy year for George, with The Press Club being refurbished, The Press Club Bar being remodelled to become The Little Press & Cellar, and the opening of the Group's fifth venue, P M 24, a modern French Bistro, in partnership with Philippe Mouchel. Even with all this happening, George still managed to find to time co-author his third Cookbook 'Your Place or Mine' with Gary Mehigan.

George’s energy and enthusiasm is running strong in 2011, with St Katherine's opening in May in Kew, and the impending opening of his 7th restaurant Mama Baba, a Greco-Roman eatery in one of Melbourne’s affluent suburbs, South Yarra marked for early 2012.

To add to an already substantial year for George, in August 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 has grown to encompass six restaurants in five years, his role as a judge on MasterChef Australia, and individual pursuits in terms of cookbooks, launching his own product range and establishing the George Calombaris brand.

In addition to this, George has also been recognised by Greece’s Hospitality Industry with a ‘Gourmet’ award for his efforts in raising the profile of Greek cuisine in Australia. 

You will still see him, however, in the kitchen at The Press Club doing what he loves best – cooking.

Check out George's website for more information, recipes and photos www.georgecalombaris.com.au