Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne General Manager Kon Tsoutouras was born into hospitality with his family running well-known Greek restaurants across the city since 1978.
From the age of five, the now General Manager at Rockpool Melbourne was ‘helping’ his mother fill salt and pepper shakers at the now legendary Stalactites Restaurant in the CBD. He went on to work at the family restaurant full-time for about a decade as a young man, while developing an early understanding of business and management from his father who also founded the Greek restaurant franchise, Zorbas.
He also has a history with Rockpool Melbourne, being part of the opening team in 2006 and working at the restaurant for two years.
After his first stint at Rockpool, Kon went on to manage The Firehouse in Ringwood, where he worked for nine years. During this time, he also established his own wine brokerage business. Kon has also worked as a Hospitality Consultant and was Restaurant Manager at Levantine Hill Winery in the Yarra Valley.
Fast forward 17 years and he’s now the General Manager of the esteemed restaurant located in the elegant surrounds of Crown Melbourne. “In so many ways it felt like coming home,” Kon says of his return to the Rockpool fold in early 2022.
“What I love about my role is the opportunity to lead, inspire and develop a team of the next generation of hospitality superstars.” “I still receive positive recognition and gratitude from staff that I mentored a decade ago as they advance in their careers. And that is why I love what I do,” he says.
Kon is now in his 28th full-time year in hospitality. “There is no question that this industry is in my blood and I can’t imagine myself doing anything else,” he says.
