“I’ve been waking up in the morning,bouncing out of bed to write menus”:Mark LaBrooy.SuppliedA chance meeting with management at The Boathouse alerted LaBrooy to an upcoming project that will seeThe Boathouse Wollongong open mid-year at the North Wollongong Surf Life Saving Club.
The one-time Tetsuya’s chef continued to reside in Austinmer,outside Wollongong,during the Ducks’ 14-year expansion,and has long harboured an interest in opening a venue locally.
“When I saw the[North Wollongong] location the hairs on the back of my neck stood up,” he says. “When they asked if I’d like to be involved,it got me really excited. I’ve been waking up in the morning,bouncing out of bed to write menus.”
Part of the attraction for LaBrooy was the team The Boathouse Group has assembled,with Merivale managersAntony Jones and Ben Collis lured across last year,Jones as Boathouse Group chief executive and Collis as head of commercial and marketing.
Jones described LaBrooy’s involvement as “an enormous coup for us”.
LaBrooy will also be involved in a wider role across the stable of waterfront Boathouse restaurants,which stretch fromPatonga toRose Bay.
“His[LaBrooy’s] approach and philosophy to food aligns perfectly with our beautiful waterside venues,” Jones says. “We are incredibly excited to have Mark involved in our plans.”