Northern beaches restaurants re-open

That's how chef Giovanni Pilu describes the experience of re-opening Pilu at Freshwater after a long lockdown-induced hiatus.

"We know that this is it," he said. "We now know and all the staff know that we are going to be busy all the way through Christmas. We will just keep driving."

His wife and co-owner Marilyn Annecchini said that the whole experience of opening the famous fine diner (and sister restaurant at the Harbor Diggers, and AcquaFresca by Pilu) had been very emotional. And not just in a good way, although there has been a lot of high moments. There has also been plenty of tears.

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Every service, lunch and dinner, is like their busiest service of the week, at Christmas time - with no downtime, and no end in sight as they are booked out for months.

They are exhausted, but also excited to be back.

"It has been difficult," she said. "We are just so under the pump. I've worked 10 shifts without a break and I don't usually work the floor. I have my sneakers back on with my dresses, I had to ditch my heels. My staff think it's hilarious!"

Mr Pilu agrees: "I am not used to that kind of pace anymore - when I was in my 20s and 30s it was OK, now 'wow man!'" he laughed. "That intensity we normally get around Christmas time, now it's like that every day. The menu structuring, training, ordering. It's like opening a new restaurant."

They are also short staffed, having lost internationals when they were sent home in the last lockdown and then losing staff to other industries in their break. "People realised there was a life outside hospitality!" Ms Annecchini said.

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Their customers are so excited to be back out dining and have been very supportive.

While Mr Pilu used the time to train for a triathlon next year, the couple also worked hard launching a very popular take-away menu, even delivering meals themselves.

They are now fully immersed back into fine dining, and have made some delicious tweaks to the menu and implemented a new shared meals philosophy - their first major change in 17 years.

And they both agree: no more deliveries. "I'll be happy to never see another takeaway box in my life," Ms Annecchini said.

THERE'S an awful lot to smile about for The Boathouse Group founders Andrew and Pip Goldsmith since lockdown finished.

The couple manage the day-to-day running of seven venues across the northern beaches, and they're about to put their winning touch on the Manly Pavilion ahead of its reopening early next year.

The extended COVID lockdown was a challenge for the Group, with The Boathouse Bakery at Palm Beach the only venue to remain open during the entire 106-day shutdown. Barrenjoey House, also at Palm Beach, did offer takeaway and home delivery for a while, but Mr Goldsmith admits it was challenging so made the decision to close it until the other Boathouse venues reopened October 20.

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While many of Group's staff returned to their roles after the lockdown, the lack of backpackers and overseas travellers has meant there's still a wide range of positions available across the hospitality giant's venues.

"It was challenging for everyone to be home and locked down and not be able to get out, but there's been lots of silver linings," Mr Goldsmith said. "The team is really excited to come back. Lots of locals are excited to come back."

Barrenjoey House is booked out for many nights and weekends already, and major renovation works will soon start at Boathouse Palm Beach.

This week, the Group will settle on its latest purchase - Manly Pavilion. The site will keep its name, undergo a facelift and is expected to reopen in February 2022. It will expand its corporate and wedding offerings downstairs, while upstairs will cater to diners and those keen for a drink while they take in the view.

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"It'll get a little bit of a facelift, we want it to feel a bit more beachy and a bit more our style, it'll be similar to Barrenjoey House," Mr Goldsmith said. "Upstairs we'll turn into a really beautiful space, and we like the idea of having an evening offering in Manly, it will be really cool."

Another idea being floated is connecting the Manly Pavilion with the Group's existing Rose Bay venue via a VIP taxi service.

"It's a beautiful spot and a beautiful place," Mr Goldsmith said. "People love to hop on the boat and travel."

"It has been like Friday night every night down there," says Sydney Collective founder Fraser Short about groovy Manly bar Daniel San. The group also owns Park House in Mona Vale and as both are pretty large spaces, Mr Short said they are trying not to fill bookings so that locals can still wander in.

"It has been hectic for everyone," he said, adding that like most venues, they lost staff who transitioned to other industries during lockdown, and were also missing staff from overseas.

"Especially in Manly, not having overseas visitors has been really tricky - for clientele or as staff," he said.

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He said the owners used the time to look at menus, suppliers and produce and fine tune their offerings - but were now very happy to be back. "People - staff, owners, guests - are just pretty bloody happy to be out and about," he said.

They are planning to celebrate with a series of Great Southern Nights gigs early next year.

IT'S hard for Chris Fowler to keep the smile off his face when he talks about the reopening of The Newport, The Collaroy and Queen Chow Manly following the lockdown.

"There's been a huge amount of celebration and relief and people keen to be out," the group operations manager for Merivale said.

"There's been a lot of elation and it's been great to see our teams reconnecting with each other."

Customers are returning to the venues in droves. Bert's Bar and Brasserie, located upstairs at The Newport, is booked out many nights, while double-vaxxed regulars are back at bars and in beer gardens enjoying their new freedoms.

Mr Fowler laughs that he's never had so many "thank yous" and pats on the back from customers who are as excited as he is to be back in their favourite watering hole.

The only Merivale venues in the northern beaches to stay open during lockdown were The Newport's bottle shop and Queen Chow Manly, which very successfully pivoted to takeaway.

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It was a long time for The Collaroy and the Newport venues to be closed and Mr Fowler said that while many staff came back to work at Merivale following the extended lockdown, there remains a shortage in some areas.

"We certainly had challenges, but by and large the team's come back as they were," he said. "We're certainly doing a recruitment drive."

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