Employees Only, the world-renowned, award-winning pioneers of speakeasy and frequenters of ‘world’s best bar’ lists, is gearing up for the launch of its first Australian concept this November. Located in a heritage-listed basement on the CBD’s Barrack Street, Employee’s Only will make its mark on Sydney’s hospitality scene with flawlessly-executed cocktails and refined food, served in a beautiful space without pretence.
The Sydney speakeasy will be spearheaded by co-founder Dushan Zaric, who conceived the New York bar with industry friends Henry La Fargue, Igor Hadzismajlovic, Jason Kosmas and Bill Gilroy in 2004, and Robert Krueger from Employees Only New York. Since then, the group has opened outposts in Hong Kong, Singapore and Miami, each critically lauded and honoured by the global bar community. The team have also brought on board Sydney-native Anna Fang as venue manager.
It is important for the bar’s co-founders to set up in cities that possess the same ideals as the Employees Only brand – the titular idea that Employee’s Only has always been about caring for people in the service industry as well as taking care of their guests. For Sydney, this means working with the local bar community, not only behind the bar, but by creating a space the hospitality industry to call their own no matter the hour.
“New York is the bar that is great every night of the week, every month of the year, in every kind of weather. It’s one of the most consistently fun places in the world”, says Krueger. “It’s this energy that we’re really wanting to bring to Sydney. We’re excited to work with the incredible local bar community, together helping to reinvigorate Sydney’s nightlife and bring it back onto the global stage.”
At the heart of Employees Only, is of course, the cocktails. Whilst the Sydney location will offer a number of classics that made the New York bar famous, it was imperative that Zaric, Krueger and the team create a drink menu bespoke to Sydney. Guests can expect to see pioneering classics such as the Amelia, made with vodka, elderflower liqueur, pureed blackberries and fresh lemon and the Provençal, made with lavender-infused gin, stirred with Herbs de Provence infused vermouth and Cointreau, sit alongside new libations.
As for the food philosophy, the founders created Employees Only to be a place where the drinks and food are par and go hand in hand. The New York-bistro menu will be led by Head Chef Aurelien Girault and will feature new dishes with a wide-reaching range of flavours, ingredients, cuisines and cultures to cater to the adventurous Sydney palate. For long-time fans, a handful of New York favourites will also be carried over, including the famous steak tartare, made with hand cut filet mignon, roasted tomato puree, parsley, Dijon, capers, shallots and Employees Only hot sauce; pancetta wrapped lamb chops with salsa verde; the bone marrow popper, complete with a pastry shell and bordelaise sauce and the classic house-made Cavatelli, with pork sausage, tomato, rocket and parmesan cheese.
To bring Employees Only Sydney to life, the team have enlisted famed interior designer Tim Leveson (The Sandwich Shop, The Collector Store, Pane e Cipolla). Notably, the location of the Sydney venue is the most unique out of all Employees Only venues, being the only location to be in a basement, and whilst it will still have a number of signature Employees Only elements, including the neon “psychic” sign and EO-branded awning (recognisable to anyone who has visited another location), the team are committed to creating a space that is entirely unique to Sydney.
“Whilst we have venues all over the world, we’re not a franchise. Cities that host Employees Only have global connections with international populations and extremely sophisticated dining and drinking cultures, so we never want to create a copy and paste venue. It has to be locally appropriate.” says Krueger.
“We like to adapt to the space that’s available, and there are different architectural elements that are part of the vocabulary of each city that have distinct meaning in their context. Here in Sydney, we have found an amazing heritage basement, with a beautiful set of skylights, set in the sidewalk. The city’s shape and history define the space in a number of ways and we take these on as real opportunities to tailor the concept to the city”.
Designed so that the bartenders can be close to guests, the bar will be curved to create varied energy throughout the room. The bar top itself will be made of brass, soft to touch and designed to reflect a warm glow onto the faces of guests as they sit at the bar. In front of bar guests will be a mirrored, backlit glass shelf displaying an opulent collection of alcohol and wine, designed to present possibilities as diverse as the night could offer. Past the bar is the dining room, complete with comfortable and intimate booth seating that allow friends to join throughout the night. Employees Only Sydney will also be home to a private dining space for thirty.
“Employees Only is a space for Sydneysiders to enjoy, whatever stage of the evening, whether it’s oysters and martinis at 6pm, steak tartare and wine at 8pm, Manhattans after dinner or simply because you feel like champagne.”
Employees Only Sydney will be open in November. Full food and drink menu details to come.