Yolk Group’s Ben Argentino, Bec Moore and Kieran Spiteri lead a team of more than 150 across four thriving spots, Terror Twilight, Convoy, Tinker and Hi Fi, which will soon be joined by their new cafe-wine bar Ophelia in Westgarth, opening this month.
Ophelia, the crew says, “promises a more mature daytime offering to its siblings”. Expect a smaller, European-leaning menu peppered with local produce and a drinks list that spans coffee to cocktails: the kind of place where “morning lattes transition to midday Martinis”.
Here’s the Yolk team on how they do what they do.
How did you guys get your start?
Ben Argentino: We were very front-of-house-focused, and began waiting on tables at an early age across a variety of different hospitality concepts. Our collective experience spans five-star hotels and hatted restaurants right through to nightclubs. Every hospitality employee faces a fork in the road after a while – you either continue as an employee, or look elsewhere for opportunities to start your own business. For the three of us, we came to that conclusion separately and only met through working in the industry once we had decided our own fate as individuals. From there, as a team, it’s been an ongoing process of recognising opportunities when they present themselves and then having the resources and confidence to act on those.
What is it about your venues that gained traction in Melbourne?
Kieran Spiteri: I think we offer a point of difference in our offerings – we’re big believers in doing things our own way. In the case of Terror Twilight, it was initially a hard concept to get off the ground and needed a few years of fine-tuning. While we’ve always been confident in our product, it took some time for the customers to really embrace it.
We’re proud that we’ve stayed true to our concept to hopefully set ourselves apart from other cafes in Melbourne – from our design, food and drinks, service and music offering. I guess there’s two ways to approach a hospitality venture. You can either jump on a trend or do your best to set a trend. I’d like to think we’re in the trend-setter category (but this is not an unbiased opinion!).
Is there any other special sauce to what you do?
Bec Moore: It sounds cliched, but consistency really is key. Most of us are creatures of habit, and if we can create a familiar and reliable experience for our guests, we’re more likely to see them return. I guess it’s about balancing consistency in our service and warm hospitality, while keeping things fresh with our F&B offerings.
Any regrets?
Kieran: No regrets, but lots of lessons. We’re a really honest team and will admit fault but quickly learn from our errors and implement improvements so those things don’t happen again. If we all lived in the past we’d never progress forward.
What have been the big lessons learned?
Ben: Know your numbers. Creating a good product is almost the easy part of the equation in hospitality, but making that product financially viable is the biggest challenge, and is always ongoing. If you don’t have a simple snapshot of what everything in your business costs in any given week, then you’re leaving too much to chance.
Every business has a set of fixed costs that won’t change from week to week despite your turnover and there is nothing you can do about them. They will include things like rent, electricity, gas, water rates, IT subscriptions, and the list goes on. The variable costs to your business are what will make or break you.
Each operator has their own benchmarks, but it’s imperative to know both your labour and stock costs as a percentage of your turnover on a weekly basis because if you have set your business model up correctly, these should be the two biggest expenses. Once you have a system to be able to tell you these numbers quickly, then it’s about making small adjustments to increase the profitability of your business. Landing this formula has been the biggest learning curve.
What’s been the key to scaling up successfully for you guys?
Kieran: I think there are a few factors. Firstly, Ben and Bec do an amazing job with our numbers behind the scenes – as a group we really understand how to operate our business financially. Secondly, we have a method and a system to the way we operate and we stay true to that no matter what. Lastly, we are always pushing ourselves to grow and evolve, never resting or getting complacent. So far it’s working.
You hear some operators and punters concerned that groups are starting to dominate hospitality in Australia. What’s your take on that?
Ben: It’s definitely something you’re seeing a lot more of. We think it’s a sign of the times and the constraints that we work under. It’s a really hard industry to succeed in and the power of numbers plus added resources does help make things a little easier when in a larger group.
Times are tough right now. How are you adapting?
Bec: They certainly are, but we believe in backing our product, staying true to our process and valuing the customer base who support us is key to seeing us through these challenging times. There’s a fine line between cost-cutting and losing identity.
Any advice for other operators who are hurting?
Kieran: Understanding what your business needs are and getting very clear on your finances. Having a clear plan and making sure those who work for you understand what you’re trying to achieve. Take them on the journey with you – guaranteed it will make them much more invested.
Who do you look to in Victoria for inspiration? Which venues and people set the bar for you?
Kieran: I’m a massive fan of Andrew McConnell, just a true professional, iconic venues, consistently delivers on all aspects. If I close my eyes and picture what a restaurant is, I see Gimlet.
Ben: I think more than following a certain group or operator, I’m drawn to the landmark businesses that have been staples in people’s lives for years. It’s these sorts of businesses that I love to pick apart and try to figure out why and how they have been so busy for such a long period of time. Inevitably for me, this always extends far past the food on the menu and starts to really go to the soul of the venue. A cliché, I know.
Bec: I’m all about places with genuine hospitality and real attention to detail, where you instantly feel welcome and at home. It’s not just one specific venue that does it for me, but the overall vibe of comfort and care that sticks. Take Gerald’s Bar, for example – it’s got that cosy, inviting feel that makes you want to hang out for hours. And then there’s Waxflower, where the service is so good it turns a regular visit into something special. These spots just get it right, blending comfort and great service in a way that really leaves a mark on you.
What about Yolk? Best-case scenario, how do you want people to think about what you do?
Kieran: We want to be remembered for delivering consistency and creating feelings and experiences that make you want to support our group,create venues that become institutions and last would be being known and respected for growing future leaders in the hospitality scene.
For future growth, yes, we have big ambitions, but we never want to look too far ahead because we will lose focus on the present. I can guarantee that whatever we do will be different to what we’ve ever done before.
Stay tuned to the opening and journey of Ophelia, Yolk’s newest venue, at @opheliawestgarth