Written by Celine Louie
“My life story, and the story of the restaurant, is full of adventure.”
A statement made true, after spending some time meeting Christian, owner of Aegean Waters Restaurant, possibly the longest standing restaurant in Hervey Bay, providing an unforgettable dining experience since 1994.
His decision to open up a French restaurant- a fine dining one at that, was initially met with laughter. At the time Hervey Bay was much smaller, boasting a population of about 25,000 people- close to a quarter of the people we have here today. The Esplanade was much quieter and at the time there were only a few other restaurants to choose from in this sleepy seaside town.
It all happened by chance, as Christian’s life of adventure had started long before. In fact at the ripe old age of 42, Christian was heading to Hervey Bay for a quieter more relaxed, self retired life. Opening a restaurant and working another 30 years was never on the cards.
But as life does seem to enjoy throwing these curve balls, only a few short months after arriving, a morning walk along The Esplanade to grab a loaf of bread from his favourite bakery set his plans rolling in another direction.
Accompanied by his beloved dog Ninja, the Newfoundland, a ‘black bear on four legs’, weighing in at a hefty 116kg and who understandably, decided that a leisurely 1km round trip to the bakery needed a rest break- proceeded to plonk himself down on the corner of The Esplanade and Fraser Street. As Christian waited patiently for Ninja to recoup himself from his arduous trek, he found himself standing in front of a dilapidated Laundromat which was for sale- at a back then, ridiculously affordable price.
“So we thought about buying it, and I thought, I want to show them a good French restaurant. Liberty, my wife, reminded me that we came here to retire, so we decided to do it just for 5 years.” Fast-forward 30 years later, Christian is still cooking up a storm in his well-known corner restaurant.
To understand how this French restaurant came to be, we need to understand Christian and his life story- a story full of adventure and travel. Born in France to an opera singer mother, passionate about sharing her love of the fine arts with her three children, and a Geologist father who travelled the world searching out gems, Christian’s life was bound to never be dull. Travelling with his family to far off places from a young age, he grew up experiencing life in India, Columbia, Guatemala and South Africa to name a few.
“As I grew up all I wanted to do was travel, and I didn’t have any money, so I figured being a chef was the best way to do it. I did a course and took on a chef’s apprenticeship.”
His plans to travel as a chef came to fruition seeing him work on one of the first purpose-built cruise ships, the Song of Norway, a Norwegian cruise ship designed for the wealthy holiday-makers, finessing his skills of cooking fine food, whilst allowing him to explore many regions of the world.
In 1972, at the age of 22 he decided that rather than head back to France, Australia was on the cards. Arriving at Freemantle with a backpack and no set plans, he proceeded to fruit pick his way along the southern coast, arriving in Melbourne, the fine dining capital of Australia.
Not one to sit idle, he door knocked at French Restaurants and managed to create a bidding war for his valued skills between three restaurants. “I got a job straight away. I didn’t know anyone, and I wasn’t a big spender, so in six months I’d managed to save for a little studio apartment in the heart of Melbourne.” Prosperity seems to follow Christian!
His success continued, and over the course of 20 years he proceeded to open three French fine dining restaurants of his own in Melbourne, so it’s no surprise that Christian and Liberty’s vision to open Aegean Waters has been so successful even in such a small town.
“I came with new ideas; I brought fine dining to Hervey Bay. For the past 30 years we have been the number one restaurant on Trip Advisor,” something he is rightly proud of.
The creation of Aegean Waters is like no other. Time stands still in this cosy little restaurant tucked behind its quaint white painted window panes, as many people who have entered its doors across the years will attest to. Liberty, Christian’s wife and the Maitre D’, ensuring you are always well looked after throughout your dining experience- emphasis on ‘experience’.
The eclectic décor, carefully planned with precision many years ago- Royal Dalton crockery the source of inspiration with its decorative burgundy trim matches the table cloths and linen napkins, everything ties in- even the wall frieze and timber chairs- all painstakingly paired to work in together as one, but with one exception- the brightly coloured art!
Not only is Liberty a very talented host, but her passion is art, and she has made sure that no space is left untouched with her brushwork and creations. The walls are lined with portraits of famous people- royals, musicians, actors… guests are kept busy recognising each one. Larger areas of wall space adorned with classic art scenes of ball rooms and times gone by- the eyes always watching you. Heading to the toilet, you’ll find more paintings there too, but first you’ll have to pass by the life sized statue of an angel playing the harp, and a golden mermaid- once again, all created by Liberty!
Christian explains that it’s a place of subtle entertainment. Without being comedians, he loves infusing a touch of humour to his beloved restaurant. The humour continues as the dinner menu boasts an impressive list of classic French meals. Turning over the large menu card to view the desserts, one may be forgiven for taking a little extra time to decipher the list as the background is adorned with Christian’s ‘Booby lady’- and of course a story to go with that.
“Liberty asked me what I wanted for my 50th birthday so I jokingly said, I want a blonde with big knockers and blue eyes, and so this painting was her gift to me,” he laughs, admitting that the men who visit the restaurant have a tendency to stay stuck on the dessert menu. Whilst he’s serious about the food quality and service, he certainly knows how to infuse some laughter into his restaurant.
There are many things this restaurant is, but there are some things it certainly is not. A family restaurant is at the top of the list. There are no high chairs, no kids menu. With intimate seating for two, and smaller groups, quiet French music playing, and chandeliers emitting a sultry atmosphere, Christian and Liberty are proud to have created an exclusive, up market experience without the distractions.
Another thing this restaurant is not. And that is fast. The menu boldly reminds all guests that this is a dining experience for an evening. Your table is yours for the night. You will be given all the time you need to rest and digest between courses. There is no rush to get out, and plenty of entertainment to make you feel comfortable and settle in for the evening, Liberty will make sure of that.
Special occasions, of which many have been celebrated at Aegean Waters, deserve special treatment, and you may just be fortunate enough to be treated to the evenings theatrical Grande Finale! A silver goblet emerges from a large puff of vapour, revealing an assortment of Christian’s delicious handmade Petit Fours (small bite sized chocolates). Could there be a better way to end a memorable night?
Aegean Waters is an icon in Hervey Bays dining culture- everyone knows where it is, and countless have walked through its doors to enjoy its fine cuisine- it will be a talking point for many years to come.
April marks 30 years in this kitchen, Christian is starting to consider retirement once again, his beloved motorcycle and camper trailer await new adventures- as does his specially designed man cave complete with jukebox. So be sure to drop in for the complete dining experience while you still can. Bon appétit!