Three’s Company At The 8 | BOROMAG.COM | OCTOBER 2014 FOOD Most of Astoria knows The Thirsty Koala as a sunny restaurant serving authentic Australian dishes to delectable effect. Owners Christine Chellos, Alexandros Styponias, and Katherine Fuchs were just three close friends with a dream. One worked in finance, another as a bar manager, and the third as a fire chief—but they saw in one another the skills required to run a successful business. With a unique culinary angle and a file of family recipes, they launched The Thirsty Koala almost two years ago. As they prepare to launch their newest menu, the team took a minute to reflect on their first two years as a new business. BORO: What were your careers prior to opening The Thirsty Koala? The Thirsty Koala: Technology for the financial services industry; front of the house/ restaurant management and mixology; paramedic and deputy chief in the New York City Fire Department—and the daughter and niece of restaurateurs. BORO: What inspired the idea to open a restaurant in the neighborhood? TTK: Christine and Kathy discussed and began planning an Australian food concept about ten years ago. It began with an Aussie pastry shop concept and then morphed into a restaurant concept. Alex came on board and the planning process for the restaurant began a few years ago. We opened in Astoria because we live here and love the area, and after doing a demographic study, it was one of the top areas for opening a restaurant. BORO: What traits do each of you contribute to help make TTK a success? TTK: Alex has the hospitality operational background and really knows how a restaurant runs, so his experience has been invaluable. Kathy is really good at experimenting in the kitchen and comes up with delicious, innovative, unique recipes. Christine is the Australian, and the face of the restaurant, and is always interacting with our customers. BORO: How would you describe the cuisine? TTK: Fresh, great quality, healthy, unprocessed food. This is really what Australian culture and food is all about. We use local, natural, and organic produce, breads, pastry, eggs, and dairy products. Our meats are grass-fed, free-range, hormone and antibiotic free. We make our own goat and farmer’s cheese using organic milk. Our seafood is fresh catch sourced from the New Fulton Fish Market. BORO: If you could offer a piece of advice to someone considering starting a restaurant, what would it be? TTK: Don’t rush into starting a restaurant, and do as much planning as you can. Be prepared for a lot of issues, and obstacles on a daily basis. Stay calm and flexible, and you will get to where you want to go. Most of all, know your customers and appreciate them on a daily basis, because without them you don›t have a business. We are very thankful that the Koala opens its doors on a daily basis, and we have people who come in and enjoy our food. It’s quite surreal to me personally to have seen this grow since we opened the doors. Another important lesson is making sure that you try to communicate, regardless of different opinions and ideas—and come together as a team to get to the end point. The Thirsty Koala 35-12 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105 (718) 626-5430 www.thethirstykoala.com Jaffle Caramel Bars Vegan Key Lime Tart Sausage Roll Stuffed Calamari
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