Chris Drivas has plenty of miles on the clock when it comes to work. He turned 50 in October last year, celebrating his birthday and his 43 years of work. For those without basic skills in mathematics this means that Chris began his working life when he was just seven years of age.
This was back in Greece working for his father who gave him one piece of advice that he’s never forgotten.
“My father said to me that as soon as the customers walk through the door it’s like they’re in your house and you should treat them like your guests,” he recalls.
The family left Greece and moved to Australia in 1959, and not long after Chris purchased his first café when he was just 19.
It was a brasserie-style café, and Chris remembers with some pride how he took the bold step back then to employ a chef to cook in the café.
This café was in Centrepoint in the heart of Sydney, and proved so successful that he soon opened cafes in Grosvenor Place, Chatswood and Circular Quay.
“I had two very simple philosophies – quality food and quality service. I had great people working for me and I have ensured that this has continued as we have expanded further.”
In 1987 Chris moved from the café business to the restaurant business opening up Watersedge Restaurant at Pier 1. Ten years on Chris and his wife Theresa, who was working as the marketing director at the time, launched Watersedge into the corporate functions environment.
“It proved to be very successful and we soon believed that we had found a niche in the market.”
The company then discovered the Cockle Bay Wharf project, created Dockside, and the Dockside Group was born.
“We intended building purpose-built function centres, and we have. We were interested in prime positions, building great spaces, serving up great food and having great service with a great family-friendly environment.”
The key, Chris explains, was that spaces had to be light – natural light had to be visible; spaces needed their own balconies that guests could use for breaks; and rooms had to be able to be reduced in size easily and effectively.
“We have found that corporate clients love these purpose-built function centres with break-out spaces and plenty of light. The locations certainly don’t hurt either.”
From the success of Dockside and Watersedge the company expanded further, establishing L’Aqua which remains one of the most popular corporate event spaces in Sydney, the Star Room, a 200-seat space on level six of the IMEX Theatre complex at Darling Harbour, Ice Cube Seafood Grill, also at Darling Harbour, the Waterview Convention Centre at Bicentennial Park in the Sydney Olympic Park precinct, and most recently the Italian Village, a three level, three room restaurant and function centre in the historic Rocks precinct.
The Dockside Group continues to look at new opportunities without forgetting about the traditions and lessons learned from the past. And, as Chris Drivas explains, “we wouldn’t be where we are today and we wouldn’t have been able to achieve what we have without great people working here. And I’m very grateful for that.”
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