Mead grows on land, sea

Perth restaurateur Warren Mead is expected to add two new pieces to his growing, multi-million dollar fine-dining empire by year’s end.

And it’s the corporate hospitality sector that is in Mr Mead’s sights, with his interests to grow to include five restaurants, three of which are on the waterfront, two business restaurants and two boats.

A new business restaurant to open in Exchange Plaza will be modelled on Mr Mead’s other dining venues.

On the water, the 24-metre catamaran Moonlight Express will join the Moonlight Lady, which has provided a floating luxury charter venue for the past six years. Both will help Mr Mead focus on the corporate hospitality market.

Mead’s chief executive Anthony Posniak said there was a lot of corporate hospitality work in Perth and that was not being catered for.

He said the new additions to Mr Mead’s group of businesses would probably end the expansion of the group for the time being.

“There are lots of forms of corporate hospitality that people aren’t even thinking of,” he said.

“If you’re a corporate partner of ours you have access to all facilities which make up the Mead group of businesses. The opportunities are endless.”

Mr Posniack said the group’s facilities provided for a range of dining/entertainment/business options. For example a pre-dinner cocktail cruise on the Moonlight Lady or Moonlight Express could be followed by a function and presentation at one of the restaurants, before dining at one of the restaurants, or even incorporating all three restaurants into an evening of drinks, dinner and dessert.

“The two boats can provide a link between the three waterfront restaurants,” Mr Posniack said.

“The market changes quickly and success is measured in relative terms,” he told WA Business News.

“What Perth wants from a restaurant is good quality, good service, crisp and casual dining and corporate clients want consistency, flexibility and ease.”

The new facilities will join a Mead stable that includes Mead’s Mosman Bay and the Moonlight Lady, which is moored there, the Oyster Bar on the foreshore in South Perth and on the beach in North Fremantle, and Black Tom’s in West Perth.