A FEW years ago, Olivier Letrone was the man in Mullaloo Surf Life Saving Club’s kitchen cooking the sausage sizzle for hungry members on club days.
Now he and his wife Cassandra have turned that kitchen into Swell Mullaloo Beach, which opened its doors to the public earlier this year.
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READ NOWThe Kallaroo couple, who also part-own C Restaurant in Perth, said it had been very exciting to open the beachside restaurant.
“I was approached at C Restaurant by a leasing agent for a venue at Elizabeth Quay but it didn’t work out,” Mr Letrone said.
“I called Cassandra on the way home from C Restaurant and said I had an idea to call the surf club and see if they want to work together.
“A week later, the same agent contacted me.
“I assumed they were ringing about Elizabeth Quay but they asked if I was still looking for a venue.
“They said they has just been appointed the agent for Mullaloo surf club.”
Mrs Letrone said they did not know the club was in negotiations for a commercial space.
“Being local, we jumped at the opportunity,” she said.
“It’s a gorgeous area and there was not a lot on offer.”
The couple said they did not want Swell Mullaloo Beach to be “a replica of C Restaurant, which is upscale dining”.
“We wanted to utilise the highest quality produce as locally as possible and at the lowest price as possible,” Mr Letrone said.
He said they did not want the menu to be “too far fetched but something interesting”.
“We wanted a casual approach with a little bit of elegance, without making people feel uncomfortable,” he said.
“Our head chef Adam Cooper is fantastic and we are blessed to have him.”
Mrs Letrone said they wanted it to be “comfortable and family-oriented as well as a place where you can pop in and have a drink or a meal”.
“We have a fantastic view seven days a week and we can close the balcony,” she said.
Swell Mullaloo Beach is open for breakfast and lunch on Mondays and Tuesdays, with the addition of dinner from Wednesdays to Sundays.
It is also fully licensed with a permit to allow people to have a drink without a meal.
They also own Boardies Kiosk at the same beach, which offers “simple takeaway food, drinks and ice creams”.
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