Warren Mead’s Oyster Bar brand is poised for significant expansion in Western Australia and on the east coast.
Mr Mead is actively searching for licensed venues and operators wanting to get involved with the Oyster Bar through a form of a licensing agreement.
According to Mr Mead’s newly recruited operations manger, Anthony Posniak, the concept would work well for hospitality operators with premises and a suitable liquor licence who wanted the added firepower of The Oyster Bar concept, branding and marketing.
“There really isn’t much in the northern suburbs or down south, like in Mandurah and Rockingham. We could do it in Kalgoorlie and we’ve had definite interest from the east coast,” Mr Posniak says.
Mr Mead has recently ramped up marketing activities for his four Oyster Bars, which will remain in his ownership.
Television commercials will continue to promote his early week oyster specials and weekend breakfasts.
“We had 600 people [across the four venues] that came out for breakfast last weekend, which is good because this tends to be a quiet time of year for us,” Mr Mead says.
Mr Mead has also dropped the LinQ name from the Mends Street restaurant, which will now be known as The Oyster Bar South Perth.
Luxe Bar bartender Luke Plummer has shaken up the Australian bartending industry after winning the Grand Marnier Trophy competition in Melbourne last week.
The 22-year-old was the first Western Australian entrant in the awards’ four-year history and his ‘Grand Cuban’ showed the four panel judges just how well drinks get mixed in WA.
The competition involved six of Australia’s top bartenders creating a long-style drink using Grand Marnier liqueur.
And the win doesn’t just bring kudos for Mr Plummer.
His prize is a 10-day trip for two to France this October, which includes a tour of the Grand Marnier distillery and the French Riviera, and the opportunity to judge at the Grand Marnier French finals.
Mr Plummer has been bartending at Luxe for about 12 months.
The Grand Cuban: A blend comprising 40ml Grand Marnier, 20ml Havana Club Anejo Blanco, vanilla sugar and 60ml pineapple juice shaken and strained over crushed ice with an orange zest.