Eamon Sullivan on why Perth is a foodie's paradise

Olympian turned restaurateur Eamon Sullivan hit on the perfect formula when he opened his latest eatery in North Fremantle – good food and even better views.

“I was lucky with Bib & Tucker because we’re right on the beach – that’s pretty much all you need,” he says.

“You’ve got a good view and if you add good food you’re on a good streak.”

Sullivan, who owns Bib & Tucker with fellow Olympians Steve Hooker (pole vault) and Jamie Dwyer (hockey), says his passion for cooking developed out of his love of sport.

I just always wanted to own a café.

Bib & Tucker in North Fremantle.

He says he was going to do a chef apprenticeship straight out of school, but his swimming career took off and he put his energy into his sport.

But he’s making up for it now, owning three restaurants in his native Perth – Bib & Tucker, Louis Baxters and May Street Larder. He also took home the winner’s trophy in the 2010 Celebrity Masterchef series.

Perth has really stepped up over the past few years with its casual dining.

Sullivan at home with fiancee Naomi Bass. Picture: Red Images Photography

“I got into hospitality because I just always wanted to own a café,” he told realestate.com.au.

“If I had have known more about how hard it is I probably would have thought twice about it. I love that satisfaction of how hard you work and when people enjoy it and it’s busy – it’s something you’ve created that people come to visit.

“I think the success is having good people involved. At the start I didn’t really know what I was doing so I surrounded myself with good people.

“Having a good chef obviously means a lot because if you’ve got good food people will come back. Service you can always improve on, but having good people helping you run the restaurant you need people that care about it as much as you do.”

Sullivan says Perth’s food scene has really improved in the past few years. Picture: Red Images Photography

Sullivan says he looked for the same things in prospective venues as he did when he was looking for a home – a good location and a space to make improvements.

He says the foodie scene is really taking off in Perth and names Oxford St in Leederville and Beaufort St in Mount Lawley as his two favourite haunts for cool cafes and small bars.

“Perth has really stepped up over the past few years with its casual dining.”