How exactly did you land here Simon – on this slice of suburbia on Sydney’s lower north shore?
I’ve lived around here for the last 10 – 12 years, our kids went to the school across the road and I was watching this place [formerly an Italian restaurant]. At that point I was into my consultancy business and whilst I loved it, there was just something really pushing me back to wanting to get back into the restaurant game.  

What you’ve achieved is something arguably amiss at times in this city – an elevated community eatery, because this is such a locally driven affair?
Community is central to this; it’s been key to Boronia…  

So, you listen to them along the way?
Yes, and I don’t think that matters where you are or what business you’re in – if you’re not taking feedback, that’s fuckin’ stupid, but some actually don’t… But to be in business and not listen to your customers means you haven’t got a business.  

There’s a unique and genuinely inviting feeling that blankets this place – it’s truly tangible and really quite powerful.
I’m very happy with where it’s at considering what the industry has gone through the last few years –all the hardships. And I don’t think people really understand just how difficult that period of time [lockdowns] was for our industry, it was, well, fucked. And as much as everyone thinks this industry has found its way back, there are so many pressure points we’re still dealing with – you know, the rising cost of everything…  

Boronia is a smart business set-up – you’ve the main restaurant and the other next door, so too the garden out the back. This obviously enables multiple revenue streams, which must be incredibly important in light of what you’re saying?
If this had just been in this [main] building, I probably wouldn’t have touched it… But it was the [future] growth from having the outdoor areas, being able to build that secondary outdoor area on the side of the restaurant, the renovation of next door, which has also got a full function area and second kitchen. So, it allows us to do all the offsite catering. You know, catering was a massive part of my life for 20 odd years so to have that, and not just be reliant on the restaurant – which is suburban and not for everyone – is really important.  

Despite the growth and the way things are heading for Boronia – and let’s not forget the new cookbook – do you remain rather hands on in the day-to-day?
I’ve been doing this since I was 14. I still I get up at five o’clock every morning – and I still love it. Look, people see me floating around during the day, but I’m running a business and, as much as I look great, I can’t just stand around in the kitchen. But most nights and evenings I’ll come into the kitchen for an hour or two.  

How important is working an outfit like H&E – a practice that genuinely understands not only alluring design but the necessary functionality that informs good hospitality design?
It’s massive and that’s what I would say here – H&E nailed the vibe and it feels just as good as when we open the doors. On functionality, I have this thing that if you’re moving more than two steps in the kitchen, it’s going to cost you – and the efficiencies, controls and the costs are so important to everything we do. And that third step, believe it or not, costs you of money. So with H&E we have a relationship that is robust but also built on respect – they get me and us and what we’re doing and we also get what they’re about. We have an awesome relationship.