Portrait of Simon Gloftis
i. Biography
The Path
At Hellenika, Simon Gloftis is the owner; at SK Steak & Oyster in Brisbane, he is chef/owner. Those roles place him on both the business and kitchen sides of the pass, with control over standards, pace and the way a room presents itself. The two restaurants sit as evidence of a career built around ownership, not delegation: a working position shaped by consistency, repetition and an eye for what a restaurant owes its diners.
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The Work Today
Ownership changes the work. In Hellenika and SK Steak & Oyster, Simon Gloftis is responsible not only for the food, but for how the dining room functions as a whole: the timing, the tone, the expectation set before the first plate lands. That kind of role demands more than cooking. It requires a steady hand on detail and a clear view of what regulars and first-timers are buying when they walk in.
Signature
Crab and Truffle soup is among Simon Gloftis’ signature dishes. The pairing tells you the register immediately: rich, direct, composed around ingredients with strong natural pull. As a signature, it shows a kitchen working with familiarity but aiming for a sharper finish, where comfort and luxury are placed in the same bowl without excess noise.
In Their Words “This is a restaurant for people who love to eat at restaurants.” The line is direct, and that is the point. It frames the room as a place built for diners who value the full restaurant experience: the ordering, the service, the pacing, the return visit. It is less about rhetoric than about audience, and about knowing exactly who the room is for.
The Sunday email
Read about chefs like Simon Gloftis in the Sunday email.
Every Sunday we send a lead story and up to four more about the chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and hoteliers behind the restaurants, bars, wineries and hotels we cover.
Recent stories
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