No worksite woes, as Boat House goes from strength to strength

For most bars and dining venues, having to trade while in the middle of a construction zone would be their worst nightmare. Not at the popular Boat House on the beach at North Wollongong.

When work started on the $10.5 million extension to the seawall at North Gong Beach last month, Diggies Cafe and the North Beach Kiosk closed immediately. And they'll probably not reopen until mid-2027 when the works are completed.

The Boat House, however, just metres away from the worksite, and now partly hidden away behind the construction fencing, is trading on, and it's doing well, according to general manager Bo Allport, who today is preparing his team for a big ANZAC long weekend.

"The seawall construction has definitely changed the look of things, but the impact hasn't been as significant as you might expect," Bo said. "The Blue Mile is still incredibly popular, and parking remains accessible for our guests, so we're continuing to see strong visitation."

New chef team provides an x-factor

Sitting high above the beach, The Boat House already boasted one of the best dining locations in the region, but Bo believes the recruitment of two hot chefs gives his venue the x-factor.

According to Bo, executive chef Andy Burns and head chef Karl Paino "bring fresh energy, new ideas, and a different perspective to the menu. There's a real opportunity to elevate the food offering, which I feel we've done well with our new menu."

Andy will already be well known to many Wollongong foodies. He owned and operated the award-winning Babyface Kitchen in Keira Street for 10 years before it closed last year. He still owns 2 Smoking Barrels in the city.

'Loved the intensity'

After growing up in Mudgee, Andy stepped into the kitchen at 17 as a kitchen hand. "I loved the intensity and never left."

Andy didn't hesitate to join The Boat House team when approached at the beginning of summer. "It is an iconic Wollongong location with huge potential."

He and his head chef, Karl, have slipped straight into gear and the kitchen is humming.

"I am stoked with where we have gotten the food to in a short amount of time. It will only get better from here," Andy said.

Karl shares that excitement, having joined The Boat House two months ago, shortly before the construction work began just outside.

"I wanted a new challenge, and having Andy here really got me excited about joining The Boat House group and seeing what we could achieve together as a team."

Karl says he fell in love with food as a young boy. "Eating at my Nonna's house as a kid really showed me what cooking with love tastes like. It opened my eyes in how you can show so much love, care and emotion when you cook for people.

"That sparked my interest at a young age, and I was also fascinated in how restaurants worked, and it blew my mind how in 15 to 20 minutes they could serve you an amazing meal."

Learning from the best

Karl was just 15 when he worked in his first kitchen in Sydney, but he was determined to broaden his experience by learning from the best.

"I moved to London not long after I finished my apprenticeship to work for Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea. From there I had a few stints in restaurants on the Greek islands over a few summers, before opening a restaurant on an island called Ios."

Back in Australia, Karl worked as a sous chef at a hatted restaurant in regional Queensland before returning to Sydney. In recent years he has worked as executive chef for Wollongong company Opus Coffee Brewers, which expanded to a second venue, Half Day Deli.

With winter approaching, the duo is preparing further changes to the menu, depending on what's available fresh from the market.

With whale migration season about to begin, Bo says diners can ignore the seawall works and soak up what will always be the best location in the region.

Whale season is coming

"There's no better spot to be in Wollongong. No matter where you're positioned in the venue, you've got an incredible view – and during the season, you'll even catch the whales migrating along the coastline, which is pretty special."

As reported in The Illawarra Flame, while concerns have been raised about the impact of the seawall extension on the beach, The Boat House expects it to be a boon for business once completed.

"The improved space along the foreshore should only enhance the area's appeal," Bo said. "From our side, it'll be about assessing how we best utilise the space and making the most of what's in front of us – but overall, it's a really positive outlook.

"The joy of hospitality is that you're never really finished. There's always something to improve on and build upon."

Footnote: Jeremy Lasek happily paid for his meal at The Boat House.