Guy Grossi signs on for two hospitality venues at Fortis’ Richmond Square
Famed chef and restaurateur Guy Grossi will run two ground-floor hospitality tenancies at Richmond Square, an almost completed mixed-use development in inner-city Melbourne.
One of Australia’s best-known culinary identities, Grossi worked under his father Pietro as a teen before taking over the iconic Bourke Street fine dining institution Florentino and renaming it Grossi Florentino.
Grossi says Richmond Square gave him the opportunity to create a hospitality offering as part of a broader placemaking vision.
“There was a genuine alignment with Fortis’ vision for Richmond Square and an understanding that hospitality plays an important role in how people experience a place,” he says.
“Great hospitality is about creating spaces that people feel connected to and return to time and time again.
“We’re excited to be working with Fortis to create venues that contribute to the life of the precinct and become part of the broader Richmond community.”
This is not the first time Grossi has partnered with developers. Back in 2010, he worked with the Grollo family to open the Merchant restaurant at the Rialto in Melbourne. He also collaborated with the Melbourne Cricket Club to oversee the fine dining in its Committee Room.
Grossi also put his name to an Amalfi-inspired restaurant called Settimo at the Westin Brisbane, which has since closed. However, he still oversees the Westin Perth’s Garum restaurant, which serves traditional Roman cuisine.
With his family, Grossi has spearheaded many major restaurants, pubs and bars. However, last year the Grossi Group sold a stable of its eateries, including Grossi Florentino, The Grill, The Cellar Bar, Ombra and Arlechin, to Rebecca Yazbek’s Edition Group, formerly Nomad.
Richmond Square enters final stretch before opening
Grossi will deliver two hospitality concepts at Richmond Square, with tenancies spanning 292 and 161 square metres. The details on both are due to be announced next year.
Mitch Crawford, associate director development at Fortis, says he is thrilled to secure Grossi’s talents for the $330 million precinct.
“When leading hospitality operators choose to commit to a precinct well ahead of opening, it’s a strong endorsement of the destination being created,” he says.
“The Grossi family has helped shape Melbourne’s dining culture for more than 40 years, creating venues that have become part of the communities they serve.
“From the beginning, our vision has been to create a precinct where people can live, stay, dine, and connect. Exceptional hospitality is central to that vision, and we’re delighted to welcome Guy to Richmond Square as we move towards completion.”
Fortis has partnered with other major hospitality operators, including Baker Bleu and Suupaa at 65 Dover Street in Cremorne, and Neil Perry’s restaurants Margaret, Cafe Margaret, Gran Torino and Pizzeria Sotto in Sydney’s Double Bay.
Richmond Square, which includes two residential buildings, retail, office and dining, is currently in its final phase of construction and scheduled for completion in the last quarter of this year.
