CMDA BURSARY MELBOURNE RESTAURANT TOUR WITH KEN BURGIN FROM SILVER CHEF

Hitting the streets – Alex Patterson and Graeme Tonks

I recently caught up with Graeme Tonks from Bondi RSL who was full of enthusiasm and praise for the recent completed hospitality tour.

He explained that this trip was very enlightening and out of 10 gave it an 11! So impressed with Kens knowledge of the scene in Melbourne, Graeme didn’t know where to start with all the things he discovered.

From pubs, clubs, bars, restaurants, cafes, diners, street food, bars and more. Melbourne has it all on offer and visiting the out of the way, quirky venues that offer something very different was a real highlight for Graeme. He explains that he has come back with so many ideas, he can’t wait to start writing them down and presenting them to his colleagues

I asked Graeme in the context of clubs what did he find. He said Franktown RSL was an amazing set up with the CEO growing membership dramatically with his strategic directions and ideas. Ideas that mainly revolved around food and doing things a bit differently. Engaging food vans to compliment the clubs offering.

It was a jammed packed 4 days that started at 8.30am and finished around 10pm. Graeme ate food he had never heard of and experienced things that really made him go ‘wow’!  It was go,go,go and with his expanding waistline he is back in the thick of it.

I must say Graeme enthusiasm is infectious and I have a hit list of places to visit when next I’m down there.