Paul Mathis has been in the restaurant business since the early eighties and his name has been associated with some of Melbourne’s better known spots from Joe’s Garage in Fitzroy to Chocolate Buddha in Fed Square and Soulmama in St Kilda. His latest venture sees a revamp to the former SOS Restaurant in Melbourne Central and what is known today as the 100 Mile Café. Paul talks to us about his concept and shares his views on what makes a good business tick…

Talk me through the 100 Mile Café concept…
If you have ever snipped a sprig of your very own herb or veggie from your garden and used it in your cooking you will understand the value of fresh, home grown produce. The intense freshness, the wonderful aroma and goodness, but also that sense of satisfaction and sustainability. You’ve travelled metres not miles – this is the heartbeat behind the 100 mile café.

I will always remember the taste of Dad’s organic fruit and vegetables, they were so much more flavoursome. Mum always made our dinner with at least one home grown food, and still does.

Is the concept a difficult one to facilitate?
Victoria is our backyard, we have an absolute bonanza of choices, we have almost everything available within a range of 100 miles. Okay, so we can’t grow tropical fruit. Coffee is simply not grown this far south and miso is almost entirely a product of Japan. (Although with some patient research and a bit of will power we managed to find the only miso maker outside of Japan, in a tiny town in NSW named Hepworth). Aside from a few things, Victoria is bountiful and our menu reflects that bounty.

Even with our miso from NSW and our coffee from Byron Bay and our gin from Tasmania we still source 99% of food and beverages from within 100 miles.

What is the secret to your many successes?
I just try to keep ahead of trends. It’s a good thing to give the market a completely new take on eating and drinking through both the food and the venue… something not done before (at all or in this city) will invariably stir the emotions and get a a result. Hopefully a positive one. I tend to get immersed in the details, the ambience of a restaurant fit out can never be underestimated so I work with real attention to detail to ensure things such as lighting and sound all work together to create a complete experience.

What one piece of advice would you offer to others looking to start their own business in the hospitality industry?
Be prepared to wear many different hats because you will need to demonstrate to staff you know your business. Competition is tough so make sure your product/concept stands out. And importantly, believe in yourself and your concept. Ask people you trust what they really think of your idea. If you ask at least 8 people from different demographics and they genuinely love your idea, you know you’re onto something special.

The 100 Mile Café is on level 3 in Melbourne Central (the top of the escalators on the corner of Swanston and La Trobe Streets).