5 Minutes With Michael Tassis: The Man Running Brisbane’s Foodie Scene

We’re waiting for him to arrive for the interview at Opa, the well-loved Greek restaurant on Eagle St, when an associate of his lets me know how rare it is for Michael to have a spare thirty minutes. “He’s a hard one to catch,” she says. I feel honoured.

Michael Tassis

“Everything wasn’t meant to happen so close together,” Michael admits once getting settled near the bar area – his favourite spot, the staff informs us. “There’s a lot going on, but I knew that they would’ve been big opportunities to miss, so I just went for it.” The ‘everything’ he’s referring to is the opening and planning of several new venues, including Fatcow on James St, a luxe steakhouse; Longwang, Tassis Group’s first foray into Asian cuisine; Dark Shepherd, a Mediterranean-inspired, lamb-focused restaurant arriving at The Star Brisbane; Pompette, an elegant French champagne bar and restaurant also coming to The Star Brisbane; and two cutting-edge tenancies on the new Kangaroo Point Green Bridge – Stilts, a Brisbane-first, above-water dining destination, and Mulga Bill’s, a stylish, all-day eatery. It’s now clear why he’s been particularly hard to pin down lately.

Hospitality runs in his blood, and it runs deep. Growing up in Sydney in a Greek family, Michael was always surrounded by family and food – something he attributes his love of hospitality to. “I remember for family meals, the amount of food coming onto your table…. it was a lot. That’s probably why you see a lot of banquets on my menus as well. It’s all about sharing,” he says.

 

His journey in hospitality officially began in 1988 when his family moved to the Gold Coast to own their first restaurant, Paragon Seafood Restaurant, followed shortly after by the iconic George’s Paragon (if you know, you know). For Michael, the early-to-mid ’90s were spent juggling high school and a near full-time role in the restaurant. That is until 1996 when he left school in Grade 10 to help grow the family business.

Opa Bar + Mezze

After years of invaluable, hands-on experience, the opportunity for Michael to launch his own restaurant came in 2010, when he moved to Brisbane to be closer to his wife’s family. Locals will remember George’s Paragon Seafood Restaurant on Eagle Street fondly – a true institution of the Brisbane dining scene at the time. “I was definitely nervous opening my first restaurant,” Michael recalls. “There were a lot of tweaks I had to do to make it work in Brisbane, but I just went for it and tried it and it worked out. We were doing massive numbers until the very end.”

This success laid the foundation for a string of beloved eateries, including Massimo, Yamas Greek + Drink, Fosh Bar & Restaurant, and Rich & Rare. It’s an impressive resume. And what do all these restaurants have in common? Approachability, something Michael sees as crucial. “I just want to make sure that everyone feels welcome – there’s never any stiffness to whatever I do,” he says. “Nothing is too complicated – it’s comfortable and approachable, fitting everyone’s budget, in a way.” Out of his restaurants, however, he doesn’t play favourites: “That’s like asking if I have a favourite child,” he jokes (for the record, he doesn’t have a favourite child either).

 

As we wrapped up our chat, I was curious what Michael thought of the Brisbane dining scene, given his major role in shaping it. His answer? We have seriously upped the ante. “I think it’s surreal – we used to always look Melbourne and Sydney, but I think they’re looking at us now,” he says. One thing is abundantly clear: Michael Tassis’ hospitality empire is only helping take us to new heights.