THE NEW GEMELLI
BROTHERS BRANCH OUT IN TASTE
WHEN the hip hospitality family behind Broadbeach’s Gemelli announced they’d be opening a shop in Sorrento, they were met with a collective “huh?”.
But business for the Carney brothers – Paul, Alec and James – has always been about community and getting back to basics.
“When we built Gemellini in Nobbys the aim was always to be a bit more local and intimate,” Paul Carney says.
“Being from a small country town – Griffith in New South Wales – we’ve grown up with that local feeling.
“With Nobbys being a bit more local, we loved seeing familiar faces all the time and wanted to continue that.”
That sense of community was all the brothers needed to stray from the “strip” into the suburbs.
“The ’burbs get overlooked when people are building restaurants, but it’s a cool little area being so local,” Paul says.
“The whole community neighbourhood thing reminds us of being home.
“Venues usually open on the coastline, including us obviously, so it’s great to build a little suburban spot and bring a fresh flavour out there, a fresh start.”
If there’s one element that’s virtually risk free, it’s the food – a tried and tested menu that has satisfied everyone from Taylor Swift to the brothers’ very fastidious Nonna.
“We cut the menu down a little bit compared to Broadbeach – Broadbeach is such a hub, it’s so busy, we’re lucky to have a bigger menu,” Paul says.
“Here we have to be a little bit smarter. It’s quite similar to the Broadbeach menu, but we’ve added a few home-style foods and that’s the focus.
“There are some Gemelli favourites and some classics, such as the veal scaloppine with mushrooms, or the boscaiola sauce with peas and ham on pasta – we grew up with that, it was just something you’d throw together midweek. “We don’t want to be too fancy.” For the timebeing Paul, Alec and James are just keen to feed and meet Sorrento locals ... but never say never when it comes to this culinary empire.
“We’re four years in now; we’ve got two restaurants and the bus (Papa Rolly’s) so we’ve got a confidence in what we do,” Paul says.
“We’re really keen to bring the whole Gemelli thing to Sorrento and be confident in our style. We’re always looking out for new things, but I’d like to sit on this for a couple of months at least.”