Chris Cheung has unveiled stage one of his ongoing project to reinvigorate the iconic Coogee Bay Hotel.
Overlooking Coogee Beach, with one of the country’s most famous beer garden courtyards, the CBH has been synonymous with alfresco hospitality and beachside Australian hotels for decades.
Employing a policy of constant evolution in his venues, Cheung has engaged SITE Hospitality to execute the huge pub’s revival. SITE is the collaboration between Dave Galvin – the drive behind QT Hotels & Resorts – and Paul Schulte – creative director from Keystone.
Galvin and Schulte report they pooled their contacts in architecture, design and consultancy, keen to make a distinct impression on the famous hotel.
“I want people to experience something they didn’t expect to experience,” said Schulte.
While the details around further stages are yet to be revealed, changes so far include broad changes to the food offerings, with a new core menu under head chef Andrew Prasad throughout the Hotel, and two new ‘food trucks’ for further variety.
The ‘West Coast Trawler’ is a renovated caravan, serving Californian-inspired fresh tacos and poke bowls. The Garden’s Kebab Shop wraps succulent meats in traditional Greek style, in soft pita bread.
A new Beach Bar cocktail menu is steered by mixologist Lindsey Potts boasts all the classics, plus some of her own creations, such as ‘The Perfect G&T’, with lemongrass-infused Tanqueray gin, kaffir lime, grapefruit and east imperial Burma tonic.
A veteran of the industry, Cheung praised the results of stage one, and those that helped create it.
“Through the collaboration of exciting and innovative people, the Coogee Bay Hotel is the perfect place of leisure, for anybody seeking it.”
