Virginia Hellier Consulting
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Canvas Restaurant
Canvas Restaurant is as much about style as it is about food. From the street front your eye is led upwards to an olive tree lined deck space that juts out from a large 'curvilinear' building. It tempts you to investigate further and that's when the true flavour of Canvas is experienced. On the first floor the restaurant space is cleverly separated into two through a huge ornamental curlicue style floor to ceiling screen - a work of art in itself by sculptural artist Anne Marie May. It's a spectacular space that demands something special from the food offerings and chef Pierre Khodja has the goods! He tempts with a menu influenced by both The Maghreb and his French upbringing. Stretching from the Atlas Mountains to the Mediterranean Sea - the food of The Maghreb is tinged not only with the flavours of Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, but also by Spain, Portugal and Sicily. Bouzy Rouge
Bouzy Rouge…where do you begin to describe it ? A confident style, unique interiors and it's strong food focus really show what owners Jose and Sandra D'Oliviera are all about. Sophistication is apparent in everything they touch and when they reinvented their very first hotel 23 years ago, (when the norm was sticky burgundy carpet and royal blue chairs) they surrounded us with French blackamoors, bronze urns, angels and marble tables - they really opened our eyes to the possibilities of drinking and dining in beautiful surrounds. They cleverly transformed their first five old treasures into elegant multi award winning and ultimately very comfortable hotels, that people naturally gravitate towards. The Albert Park Hotel
If you peel back the layers of 125 years, the first thing you will find at The Albert Park is a 19th century building beneath the 1930's modernist/ art deco façade. This property has a powerful history with strong ties to food and wine at every stage. Today she has a stately and solid community focus where locals gather and visitors are made to feel at home. The very best designs are those that you are unaware of, they set a scene, without being obvious, they create an ambiance without being demanding. Publican Julian Gerner is in his element in hotels and has driven the evolution of this grand lady through his youthful passion and interest in food, wine and good times. Julian's personality is apparent right across the Hotel space, from the cleverly segmented areas of the front bar with special nooks and crannies. Sebel Reef House and Spa
Virginia Hellier consulting have had a long running association with the wonderful Sebel Reef House and Spa restaurant under chef Phil Mitchell. Mirka at Tolarno
Virginia Hellier consulting has been involved in launching this wonderful St Kilda restaurant. Grossi Florentino 1999 - current
Hellier Consulting are retained by the Grossi family on an ongoing basis to promote Grossi Florentino Restaurant. We continue to achieve ongoing press coverage for the restaurant centered around this well known family who own it, also regarding restoration of the entire restaurant including the Mural Room, The Grill and the Samuel Wynn Room. Hellier Consulting have also assisted Guy Grossi with the formulation of his books about the restaurant and his Italian family recipes. The Reef House Restaurant 2002 - ongoing
The Reef House restaurant overlooks the magnificent coral coast at Palm Cove, north Queensland. The restaurant is the signature dining room of the Sebel Reef House Resort and Spa, which Hellier Consulting have promoted over many years. No 3 Station Pier
Hellier Consulting assisted the owners of this stunning new Beacon Cove development through three strategies. Firstly by attaining editorial publicity for their New Years Eve 2002 event resulting in many hundreds of bookings on the night. Then through the introduction of an excellent chef, Dianne Kerry, for the position of executive chef. Thirdly through a five month publicity strategy whereby editorial coverage was attained across the board. In their first year they were awarded a chefs hat in the Age Good Food Guide 2004. Cecconi's at Crown 1999-2002
During 1999, Hellier Consulting conducted an ongoing promotion of Olimpia Bortolotto's latest venture, Cecconi's, an elegant 300 seat restaurant at the Crown Entertainment complex. This strategy continued through to the year 2002 as Hellier's maintain their ongoing promotional relationship with Cecconi's, and particularly Olimpia Bortolotto.
" I have found Virginia to be most professional and intuitive, keeping my restaurants constantly to the fore."
Olimpia Bortolotto, Owner - Cecconi's at Crown
The Florentino 1990 - 1999During Lorraine Podgornik's ownership of The Florentino, Hellier Consulting were retained as food, menu and business consultants. Plus all restaurant and management publicity during her nine years. The Venetian Wine Bar and Restaurant
Hellier Consulting were retained to oversee and instigate the launch of this new restaurant in one of Melbourne's best known locations. The launch of The Venetian saw the owners open their fourth restaurant, with another two successful properties in Sydney. To celebrate it's first birthday Hellier Consulting were retained again in 2002 to instigate activities and promotions. Smit Bar
The owner, Timothy Smith, having recently sold his highly successful The London restaurant and bistro in Beacon Cove, retained Hellier Consulting to launch and promote this small wine bar and meeting place in the food precinct of Grey Street, St Kilda. The promotion was highly successful and there are plans afoot to extend the services of Smit Bar. Red Orange Restaurant
Hellier Consulting consulted to the owner and management of red orange three months prior to the opening, putting into place a complete promotional strategy involving the launch and ongoing publicity. red orange has proved to be a great success after the restaurant in its previous guise, the Blue Elephant, struggled under the previous management. Therefore, Hellier Consulting's suggested changes to the appearance, management, menu, etc quickly proved to be a huge financial success for the owners, and we continue our ongoing promotional activities for the restaurant. red orange was awarded one hat in the Age Good Food Guide awards in their first year of business. Mode Restaurant
Hellier Consulting instigated the launch event for Mode Restaurant in Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, after successfully launching other restaurants associated with the owners of Mode. Mode successfully accomplished one hat in the Age Good Food Guide awards within their first month of operation. Barolo Restaurant
Hellier Consulting were retained to regenerate this well known South Yarra restaurant. Hellier's activities began with consulting on matters from menu themeing and creation through to staffing levels, signage and publicity. The London Restaurant & Hotel 1998/99
Hellier Consulting promoted this recently renovated restaurant café and bar complex at Station Pier in the Beacon Cove development, including advice on brochures, signage and advertising. Our activities also involved promoting special events and activities, as well as chef and owners ongoing profiles and introductions to the Age Good Food Guide editors and journalists. Dimattina's 292 Restaurant and Bar
Paul Dimattina, well known for his football profile, retained Hellier's services to ensure that his restaurant was recognised as the very best available in Lygon Street and quite unique to the area. Hellier Consulting promoted the restaurant over a three month period, resulting in an extreme increase in sales and overall recognition and the successful sale of the business within its first year. The Rivers Group
Hellier Consulting's activities involved consulting to the owners and staff of the Rivers restaurants and Yarra River venues regarding publicity, décor, management issues. etc. including ongoing publicity for the Rivers Restaurant & Bar at Pier 35, Rivers Receptions at South Wharf, and promotion of the Yarra River dining vessel, the Rivers Lady Lindeman, and plan to launch for Rivers the largest vessel of its type in the southern hemisphere, M. V. Voyager. Other work for the Group included its Mobile Kosher Kitchen business a smaller vessel, M.V. Sapphire, and a venue at Pier 35 Marina. De Bortoli Vineyard Restaurant
Our consultancy to the restaurant, tasting rooms and cellar door sales area involves responsibility for the design and creation of the cellar door sales area and the private tasting rooms at the vineyard, including the interior concept, colours, finishes, carpets, furnishings, table settings, decorative art, etc. Hellier Consulting oversaw the work in progress at this venue which has attracted over one million visitors since its completion. In 2002 Hellier Consulting assisted in the selection process of the new Chef and promotion of him. Please contact us at any time directly via e-mail here
or at the Melbourne office
Hellier Consulting
PO Box 259
Toorak 3142
Melbourne Victoria
Tel 03) 9500 2392 Fax 03) 9500 2671