“There was at least one of our products on
every single dish, from the starter through
to the dessert,” says Katiforis.
While his produce sits abandoned in
restaurant fridges, Made’s unpaid bills have
left him struggling to cover the gaps in cash
flow. “We don’t really have a leg to stand on
when the administrators come in,” he says.
Katiforis says the absence of the group will
take over a year to recover from and that
he’s already had to lose three employees.
“It’s tough,” he says. “People don’t really
think about those kinds of chain reactions.”
Despite his unpaid accounts, he remains
grateful to Calombaris and Made, saying
they remained “upfront and transparent”
throughout their recent challenges. “There
was no wrongdoing on their part, but thereWith the collapse of the Made Establishment group, the spotlight has been
on George Calombaris, writes TRISTAN LUTZE. But the small businesses
that form the backbone of the industry are often left behind.THE FORGOTTEN CASUALTIES
significantly impacted groups has barely
been mentioned. Producers and suppliers,
the backbone of the hospitality industry,
have been left out of pocket following the
group’s collapse. It’s a knock-on effect
of the restaurant empire’s wage scandals,
which have forced small businesses to cut
back staff and face thousands in unpaid bills.
Gerry Katiforis runs Fresh Generation,
a supplier of fruit, vegetables, eggs and
native ingredients. He counts Made’s group
of restaurants, as well as the AFL Grand
Final and many of Melbourne’s top hotels,
among his clients. Trading for almost 30
years, Fresh Generation sources seasonal
ingredients direct from Victorian growers,
whose produce Katiforis says is fundamental
to the success of the venues they deliver to.A
fter three years of tumult and a
series of front-page headlines,
few people were surprised when
Made Establishment entered voluntary
administration in February. The move
sounded a death knell for the hospitality
empire led by George Calombaris and
ignited fierce debate over who was to
blame for the collapse. Only one thing is
clear: there are no winners in this situation.
Hundreds of employees, from waiters
and chefs to cleaners and support staff, lost
their jobs overnight as the company’s 18
Melbourne venues were forced to shut,
including Gazi, Jimmy Grants and Elektra.
But despite the high-profile nature of the
closures and the ensuing rhetoric around
“an industry in crisis”, one of the most28 GOURMET TRAVELLER