Case Studies
Issue No. 30 - August/September 2006
Livolsi dining boom
Hospitality entrepreneur Kristian Livolsi doesn't like repeating himself.
After revolutionising The Observatory function centre and resuscitating Citrus restaurant in Hutt Street his latest project, XO Supper Club, opened in Halifax Street with tremendous eclat.
Kristian says the concept of the XO Supper Club stemmed from a conversation with partner Derek some time ago. After their previous successes it was time for something other than large-scale restaurant style.
"I wanted it to be a restaurant, but not a restaurant, a bar but not a bar," Kristian says, enthusiastically.
He had a vision of a tapas bar flavour with a well-crafted menu, something with a lot of style and character that was an obvious investment of time, capital and creativity "like the supper clubs in Melbourne".
As luck would have it an ideal property in Halifax street popped up within 24 hours and the die was cast.
"But then it all went pear-shaped," Kristian says. The discovery of asbestos in the building started a construction nightmare that soon had the partners "losing money hand over fist".
But while the building wrangles dragged on, Kristian and Derek refined the concept. Due to Kristian's impetuosity this had never happened before.
"Citrus was up and running three and a half weeks (after gaining tenancy)," he says. "The Observatory was open eight weeks after.
"Between December 2005 and May the concept completely changed because we were forced to reexamine everything.
"We had hired excellent staff, but because of what happened we had to find a whole new team in the kitchen and we were lucky to find another excellent maitre d'."
The name came up after Derek endured a text messaging barrage to the point where Kristian eventually suggested XO, "because it'll be all about love". "Derek was having a cognac at the time and everything seemed to fall into place," Kristian says.
Designers Simon Zappia and Mary...
