J
ustinHemmesis thefirsttoadmithe
likestohavea goodtime.Everybody
does,hesays.It’sa basichuman
instinct:wewanttohavefun.But
creatinganenvironmentinwhich
peoplefeelrelaxedandcomfortable
enoughtohavefunis anart.One
inwhichHemmesis unusuallygifted.
“Oftenyou’llgotoplacesandpeopledon’tfeel
comfortableandthey’relookingaround,” he says
aswesitside-by-sideona leather
banquette,sippingfreshly
pouredcocktails(Martiniwitha
twistforhim,French 75 forme).
“Whenyougotoa placethat’s
brandnewandeveryoneis
talkingtotheirfriends,you
knowit’sright,”hesays.“It’s
aboutcreatinganenvironment
thatpeoplefeelcomfortablein,
andcanactuallyconverseandhavea goodtime.
They’renotwaitingforsomethingtohappen.”
We’reat LittleFelix,Merivale’snewestopeningand
latestadditiontoTheIvyprecinctonSydney’sGeorge
Street.We’veonlyjustmet(bara briefintroduction
at theGourmetTravellerRestaurantAwards)butthe
bar’sdécor– withitsdarkgreenwallsandplushvelvet
chairs – creates an instant intimacy. It’s conspiratorial.Overthecourseofthenexthour,Hemmes
willdiscusseverythingfromhischildhoodand
teenageyearsthroughtotheimpactofSydney’s
lockoutlawsandbusinessconfidence.Heis warm
andanimated,nevermoresothanwhendiscussing
hisfamily,especiallyhislatefather,John,andhis
twoyoungdaughters.
Morethananything,Hemmesis hospitable.
Hemakesyoufeelwelcomeandwanted.
Hemmeslearnttheart– andjoy– of
entertainingfromhisparents,JohnandMerivale.
(TheMerivalegroup,whichbeganasa fashion
housebeforemorphingintoa hospitalityempire,
is namedafterHemmes’mother.)
“GrowingupwithMumandDadwasvery
colourful,”hesays,laughing.“Familydinners,for
instance...Mumlovedtotrynewcuisines,soif it
wasJapanese,we’dallhavetodressupinkimonos
andshewouldbuilda tableontheground,and
we’dallsitontheground.”
PartiesintheHemmeshouseholdwerefrequent
andraucous,fullof“greatmusicandgreatdrinks”,
saysHemmes.“Theyhadsucha passionforlifethat
when I grew up and Istartedgoingout,I waslike,
‘Thingsarequiteboring.’
I’dgooutwithmymates
andthink,‘Really?Thisis
peoplehavingfun?This
is notfun.Thisis standing
aroundoglingwomen.
Where’sthegreatmusic?
Whyaren’tpeopledancing?’”
Hemmes’firsttaste
ofthehospitalitytrade
camenotlongafterhe’dturned20.Hisparents
hadownedtheAngelHotelonPittStreetforsome
years,leasingpartofthebuildingtoJustJeans.
Upstairs,thecouplehadopeneda restaurantcalled
JohnandMerivale’sPlace– theirfirstforayinto
restaurants.WhenJustJeansgaveupthelease,
Johndecidedtoconvertthespaceintoa bar,
calling on his son to run the small establishment.“Mumand Dadhadsucha
passionforlifethat when
I grewup andstarted
goingout,I waslike,
‘Things are quite boring.’”74 GOURMET TRAVELLER
PHOTOGRAPHY ROB SHAW (PORTRAIT) & NIKKI TO (LITTLE FELIX).