What’s your connection to Brimbank?
I’m very much a local to Brimbank. I grew up in Sunshine and have been in the area for about 20 years now.
What do you like best about the area?
The people. All my friends and family are in this area. I went to school here, my whole life has been out here. I’ve also really enjoyed watching Sunshine transform over the years. The main shopping strip looks fantastic and I think the transport options available are also very good.
Tell us a little bit about your business.
The business is called De Grill. I opened it with my business partner and award-winning chef, Claude Gorjux at the Sunshine Marketplace near Village Cinemas about 11 months ago. We serve modern Australian food, with a real highlight being our signature steak – that’s been a bit of a hit with the customers.
So what made you pick Sunshine to start a business?
Looking at the Marketplace, I thought it was lacking a little bit for options. There’s food stores here, but at night there’s only a few restaurants open. I didn’t want the centre or the locals to be left behind and everything went from there.
And how’s the reception been so far?
It’s been great. It’s only early days and at this time of the year things are a bit quieter with winter, but the feedback from customers has been really supportive. It’s a really good feeling to be able to bring a business home to Sunshine.
Have you had any previous experience owning a business?
Yes, I have a dessert cafe called Desserts by Night in Maribyrnong which has been going strong for a while now.
