Custodian of Hopetoun Tea Rooms

^{Last update – 21 – March – 2022}

About Kelly Koutoumanos

We have customers in their late nineties who have been coming here since they were children. I feel like I need to roll out the red carpet every time they arrive.

Kelly Koutoumanos remembers the first time Hopetoun Tea Rooms caught her eye and took her breath away. That moment took place almost two decades ago, long before the tea room had its magnificent window display or its perennial line out front.

What it did have though was old-world charm and the revered status as the only original tenant of the Block Arcade.

As she passed by the tea room, Kelly promised herself that she would visit one day. That day came six years later in 2010 when she heard that the establishment was on the market.

“I came in as a patron and fell in love with it straightaway. I could feel the history of this place. I knew this was it for me.”

Hopetoun Tea Rooms turned 127 in 2019 but its glory days are hardly behind it. Since taking over, Kelly has given the tea room a complete makeover, created what is rumoured to be the most photographed window display in Australia and steadfastly upheld Lady Hopetoun’s impeccable standards.

Her attention to detail has also won her favour among Hopetoun’s regulars – some of whom have had a seat at its tables for almost a century. From the drapes and wallpaper to the canopy, chandeliers and majestic Victorian mirror, stepping into Hopetoun means being transported to an era of 19th  century gentility.

“My parents’ home was open to family and friends every day and we would have people popping by all the time. They didn’t have to ring beforehand. It was such a warm environment.”

For Kelly, stepping into Hopetoun feels like hosting family and friends.

“What also makes Hopetoun feel like home is having my husband Kon, son Peter and daughter Victoria working in the business and loving it as much as I do. Their support is incredible. Then there’s my extended family – my staff. All of us are a very good, strong team.”

Tell us a little about your background

I come from humble beginnings. I’m a Melbourne girl who grew up in Richmond. Mum was a seamstress and Dad was a chef. I did primary school here and then we moved to Greece where I did high school. It was an amazing experience. Greece was also where I was introduced to hospitality.

Dad owned a patisserie in the heart of Athens and the whole family ended up working in it.

I would go to school in the morning, get home by 2pm to change and head straight to the shop with my books, to do the afternoon shift with mum. We would finish at midnight. Those were long days, but I loved them.💕

I loved how busy we were and the interaction with people. I was a very shy child so being thrown into the business really took me out of my shell. I had to train myself to look people in the eye like Dad did. He had this beautiful energy and aura that made people love him.

And then you returned to Melbourne. How did your life unfold here?

Yes, after six years of being in Athens and three years of running the business, my parents decided to move back to Australia. I told Dad I wanted to follow in his footsteps and become a chef but he refused to let me work in a kitchen. He wanted me to work in an office. So I studied computer operating and spent six years at the head office of a chain store. After the company went into receivership, I went into retail and absolutely loved it. I was a sales manager up until 2010 when we bought Hopetoun Tea Rooms.

How did you end your way back to Hospitality?

Coming from a Greek family means having an innate love of food. It’s such a ritual to sit down together for a family meal. I felt a calling to return to hospitality, however I wanted something special to reignite my passion rather than run another Melbourne cafe. That’s what Hopetoun has done for me. It’s a real shame my parents passed away before I took over the business. They would have been very proud of me.

What did you do differently once you took over?

My  first priority was to create a window that would stop people in their tracks.

I style the window myself and make sure it’s  filled with vibrant colours and freshness.

Nothing fake or artificial is allowed in that space. Then my wonderful chef, Harry Hajisava and I worked on the menu. For many years, Harry worked in London’s renown Waterside Inn, a 3 Michelin star restaurant. He understood my vision of classic English and French cuisine and bringing the tea rooms into the 21st century. We made improvements to old favourites, like the pinwheels and poached chicken sandwiches, and also introduced a full breakfast and an a la carte lunch menu, as well as afternoon tea and High Tea.

Where did you get your inspiration for that incredible window?

When I was in retail, I travelled as a buyer to London and Europe where I visited hotels with beautiful restaurants offering high tea. Although I never sat for one, I was fascinated watching those who did. I loved how beautiful the stands looked with an assortment of sweet and savoury delicacies.

When I contemplated taking over Hopetoun, I dove into research and realised their High Tea was very much suited to our English Tea Rooms. So that was something we introduced straightaway. Now we’re usually booked out for six months at any given time.

Was it intimidating to take over such an iconic establishment?

It wasn’t intimidating at the time because it wasn’t as busy as it is now. So I thought, oh I can do this and it’s going to be great fun! (Laughs) And it has been a lot of fun. But it also took off very quickly and I still haven’t caught my breath after so many years.

Today, I feel honoured to be the custodian of such a historically significant business. We have customers in their late nineties who have been coming here since they were children. I feel like I need to roll out the red carpet every time they arrive. Sometimes all four generations come together. That’s really special and I want to make sure this survives in the next generations to come.

What would surprise Melburnians about Hopetoun Tea Rooms?

That our kitchen is in the basement. The food and teas are sent up on a dumbwaiter which one person operates all day. Communication with the kitchen is done via an intercom. It’s very old-fashioned!

Tells us some of your favourite Hopetoun Tea Rooms stories

There have been so many wonderful stories at Hopetoun Tea Rooms. In the early 80’s two gentlemen shared a table, struck up a friendship and from that day onwards met every Saturday at 11 30am for lunch without fail. One of them was blind and up until he was 97 years old, he made his own way from an outer Melbourne suburb to the tea rooms to meet his friend.

There have been a few very special reunions here with mother and daughter meeting for the first time. Really heart-warming stories. Two months ago, we had two marriage proposals within half an hour of each other. The men were so nervous, they were down on one knee and the whole dining room was clapping.

So many patrons feel comfortable coming here on their own. What’s really lovely is that they often offer to share their table with someone else. They have wonderful conversations, strike up friendships and they even arrange to meet again here. That’s just gorgeous!

One really special event was our 125th anniversary in February 2017. Kerry Vincent, an Australian celebrity chef and Food Network judge living in Oklahoma, a longtime Hopetoun Tea Rooms patron and an ambassador for ovarian cancer Australia rang me in early February 2017. February is the month Ovarian Cancer Australia raises awareness and funds.

Kerry Vincent asked if I was interested in hosting a fundraiser for ovarian cancer as part of our anniversary celebration. I thought it was a wonderful idea. So we hosted high tea in the Block Arcade for 125 people on one continuous table. We had Kerry on a big screen welcoming all the guests, making a speech and sitting through the whole thing. All the proceeds raised from this event were donated to Ovarian Cancer Australia. It was spectacular.

Credits to:

Sanjeev Singh photographer

Kerry Vincent – Interview with Kerry Vincent – the Fundraiser at the Hopetoun Tea Rooms

TeaTime Magazine – Lady Hopetoun Still presides

High Tea Society

Inside Melbourne