CALOMBARIS HAS ROLE MODELS FOR COMEBACK
GEORGE Calombaris will be feeling mighty low at the moment. His restaurant empire has crumbled, his Toorak home is up for sale and his television career is over.
Even worse, the former
MasterChef Australia judge’s reputation is in tatters. A large percentage of the Aussie public can’t forgive the fact his MAde Establishment underpaid staff to the tune of $7.8 million.
Calombaris’ apology and make-good didn’t wash with a lot of his customers, with figures revealing a 50 per cent drop in patronage across his eateries since the scandal broke.
So where does Calombaris go from here? Is it possible to turn things around or will he be tarnished forever by the underpayments scandal?
The same sort of quandary has confronted other high-profile Aussies, including Karl Stefanovic, cricketers Steve Smith and David Warner and players and coaching staff at the Essendon Football Club.
Stefanovic’s popularity dived after his marriage split from Cassandra Thorburn and splashy Mexican wedding to Jasmine Yarbrough and he lost his job as Today co-host.
Smith and Warner turned from heroes to villains due to the South African balltampering episode.
James Hird, Jobe Watson, and Mark “Bomber” Thompson were among those binned following ASADA’s investigation into Essendon’s supplements program.
Could Calombaris learn from how each of those big names handled themselves? I believe so.
Watson, who had to hand back his Brownlow Medal, essentially started a new life. While he was serving his suspension in 2016, he moved to New York City and worked in a coffee shop where he met partner Virginia Slaghekke. Watson realised the supplements fallout had robbed him of his love for football and retired. A baby daughter and a range of business interests including real estate advocacy are his focus now.
Contrast that with Thompson who let the scandal eat at him and fell even further. In court he admitted he used ice to mask the pain.
Hird reportedly reached a low in 2017, staying for more than a month at a mental health care facility. Last year Hird ruled out a return to AFL coaching and seems to have found renewed purpose brokering club deals in international soccer.
Stefanovic spent a year in the wilderness before being lured back to Today. The former Gold Logie winner isn’t as loved as he once was but he is giving his return to TV his best shot. He and Yarbrough have a baby on the way. Life goes on.
After serving his 12month ban, Smith amassed 774 runs including two centuries and a double century to help retain the Ashes. But maybe the biggest turnaround, one that would give Calombaris hope, is Warner. Earlier this week he won Australian cricket’s highest accolade, the Allan Border Medal.
Warner struggled in the Ashes but his World Cup performances – including three 50s and three 100s – was next level. Add in his One Day International and T20 International strikes and it was enough to pip Smith by a vote.
It is fair to say Stefanovic, Hird, Watson, Thompson, Smith, and Warner will never completely eradicate their failings in some people’s minds. But it is also true that with time and the right attitude things can change. Genuine remorse, a dose of humility and a desire to make right definitely help.
It might be Calombaris takes the Watson route and decides to start a new life. There has been speculation of packing up his family and moving to Greece.
He might go the way of Warner and get back to basics. Forget empire building. Knock us out with an intimate little eatery where he works the kitchen.
The worst thing Calombaris could do is become bitter. We’ve seen where that can lead.
Is it fair to judge someone’s life by their biggest mistake or is there a chance of redemption? In time Calombaris will discover the answer.