Anyone who has travelled along Victoria’s Great Ocean Road to Apollo Bay has likely stopped to experience the warm hospitality at Chris’s Beacon Point Restaurant. Perched up in the hills, surrounded by the bush, and offering breathtaking views of the ocean, it’s become a beloved spot to many.
Owner Chris Talihmanidis is something of a local legend. For 45 years, he’s welcomed locals, tourists, and many celebrities. The likes of Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise, Barry Humphries, Joe Montana are among well-known names who have experienced his trademark warmth and charm.
Chris, now 90, is taking a well deserved break. And it is with mixed emotions that the family, Chris and his partner Penny Kenrick, have decided to pass on this wonderful establishment to new owners to continue its legacy.
“It’s something we’ve been doing together for many, many years,” Penny told Neos Kosmos. “We went to work together every day,” she explained, adding that since they can no longer run the business together as they once did, it’s time to let it go.
The couple has been working side by side since the late 1970s. Each year, they travelled back to Greece for three months, visiting restaurants across Europe, tasting different dishes, and returning with fresh ideas and inspiration to bring to the table.
“They have a creative spark,” Chris’s son, Taki Talihmanidis, told Neos Kosmos. “It was Chris, and in the background, always his partner, Penny.”
“They were always cooking together. It wasn’t just a job; it was a lifestyle. They would return from Greece every year with new ideas and fresh things they wanted to try out. A big part of the success of Chris’s restaurant was that creative spark between them, bringing something new to the table.”
Chris Talihmanidis, by all accounts is quite the character.
“He was probably the first Greek to go to Antarctica. He worked as the chef on the Nella Dan and went on the tour twice. The Nella Dan later smashed on the rocks at Macquarie Island, and its front is now in the Melbourne aquarium. He used to tell me how cold it was, and that once he even dived into the water on a bet,” Taki laughed.
Born in Polypetro, near Goumenissa in northern Greece in 1934, Chris’s early years were marked by war and the Nazi Occupation. As the eldest child, he had to feed a family of five while his father was away in the military. By age 13, he was working in restaurants in Thessaloniki.
Later, during his national service, he became a sergeant commander before returning to his passion, becoming a head chef in the army.
In 1960, Chris boarded a ship to Australia. Though he was a qualified chef, Australia wasn’t accepting chefs at the time, so he got a spray-painting certificate to gain passage.
“He worked at Ford for a week, then went straight into restaurants.”
Many will still remember the first restaurant he started in Lorne with his first wife in 1972, Chris’s restaurant. “It was a Greek style taverna in Lorne, and it was very popular. All the fashion designers, all of the big names, wanted to get a table there. It was just pumping every night. Australians had never seen anything like it – an authentic Greek taverna,” his son Taki recalls, who also worked in hospitality, starting in the family business, at age 11.
After his parents separated, Chris met Penny, and they began their venture in Apollo Bay.
“He is a hard man, with a very strong work ethic and a deep appreciation of food,” his son continued, and recalled the devastating fire that burned down Chris’s Beacon Point Restaurant in 2003.
The restaurant which was rebuilt from the ashes by architect Mark Gratwick, took full advantage of the breathtaking views, with the bush as the backdrop overlooking the endless expanse of the ocean.”It’s timeless and modern at the same time.” Taki said nine apartments were added to allow guests to fully immerse themselves in fine dining and the beautiful surroundings.
Christos Iliopoulos, the family’s enterprise consultant, has known the family for 20 years. “The thing about Chris is that he’s very affable. He really likes people. He’s a real people person. He treats everyone like he’s known them forever. And they find that really refreshing. They go back there as though they’re popping in on a relative.”
It was not only celebrities flocking there, or tourists. It was the whole community. “It’s a place where significant things happened for them. They’d have their wedding reception there, or celebrate milestones in their lives, their honeymoon. They’d come back every five years or so. The place has really become part of the cultural fabric for many people,” Iliopoulos adds.
For Penny, who shares the same love of food and adventure with Chris, though the commitment and hard work was a big part of making this establishment such a success, it never really felt like work.
“With its variety and with the people we worked with, it never seemed like work. We were just part of the team, and Chris and I have always worked on a very even basis with everyone. So we’ve always been right there in the thick of it with all the staff. We’re very close to them and our staff take great care of us.”
“I think one of the most touching things is that now we’re dealing with the children and grandchildren of our original customers. Some of their kids even worked for us, met each other, got married, and now their children are celebrating with us! It’s been a long journey, and it’s a very close community.”
Penny adds that the success of the restaurant was definitely the location but it also came from playing off each other’s strengths. “Chris is the hospitable one—the face of the restaurant. But it ran so smoothly because of my organisation and behind-the-scenes work.”
Their travels to Greece had a huge influence on the menu, and Penny noted that Chris’s heritage from Asia Minor also shaped their dishes.
Chris’s parents were part of the population exchange from Turkey. His mother was born in Turkey, and the food Chris grew up with had Turkish and Middle Eastern influences. “Greek food isn’t just Greek food,” Penny said. “It’s regional, and our Greek food is more influenced by Asia Minor.”
As they look to the future, Chris and Penny hope that the next owners of Chris’s Beacon Point Restaurant and Villas will embrace the lifestyle and continue its legacy. “It’s a great town and a great community and a great place to live.”
The pair aren’t going anywhere. “We’ll still be living here,” Penny said. “We’re staying in the area.”
Taki adds that it would be great for the new owners to go in with new ideas, create new things and take it to the next level.
“There are big rewards, but there are also big expectations. If you want a seat at the table, you’ve got to earn it.”
