By Eryk Bagshaw
One of Merivale’s top VIPs allegedly attempted to undo a waitress’s top as a “present” to himself, a court has heard, as he was served a bump of caviar in one of the hospitality giant’s most renowned venues.
Matthew Palavidis, an acoustics consultant from Darling Point in Sydney’s east, is known within the Merivale empire as a “whale” for his prolific spending at its businesses across Sydney.
Merivale VIP Matthew Palavidis arriving at Waverley local court on Friday.Credit: Louise Kennerley
The 63-year-old appeared before Waverley Local Court on Friday, charged with common assault and sexually touching another person without consent after allegedly attempting to undo the waitress’s top at Mimi’s in Coogee in 2023. Palavidis has denied the allegations.
Mimi’s venue manager Jonathan Robinson told the court that Palavidis was “not just a regular of Mimi’s but also a regular of Merivale”.
Robinson said the waitress approached him after serving Palavidis a caviar bump with vodka and said: “I don’t want to go back there.”
“She was clearly shaken. She was physically shaking and crying. She was just in a very different state to what she usually is in,” he said.
CCTV footage taken from the opposite corner of the restaurant did not indicate whether the alleged incident did or did not occur.
Matthew Palavidis, 63, is accused of sexually touching a waitress at Merivale restaurant Mimi’s.Credit: Jamie Brown
“She felt violated,” Robinson said. “She said to me that Mr Palavidis pulled on her blouse [to expose her breasts] and said ‘his present’.
Robinson sent the waitress home and instructed all other female wait staff not to approach the table.
“I felt that it was a risk factor,” he said.
One of Palavidis’ lunch guests, model and influencer Gina Vuletich, told the court she never saw him reach out to the waitress.
“It baffled me because I was there the whole time and I saw nothing other than lunch,” she said.
Earlier, Robinson said he personally greeted Palavidis at the front desk of the two-hatted restaurant and that he became “almost aggressive” when his favourite table was taken. Robinson claimed Palavidis demanded he kick off a group of eight to make way for his party of four.
“Mr Palavidis was agitated from the moment they walked through the door,” Robinson said.
The court heard Palavidis had a preference for lobster, extra dry martinis with a lemon twist, Don Julio 1942 tequila, and had to be given “strong, attentive service” at Merivale establishments.
Palavidis is a managing director of Acoustic Logic Consultancy, a company that specialises in noise and vibration engineering for major developments, including The Wharf at Woolloomooloo and the NSW Police headquarters.
Mimi’s is one of Merivale’s most successful venues, winning two hats in this year’s Good Food Guide.
Outside the court, Palavidis did not respond to questions. He said he was on his phone, and hid in a bus stop and then under his jacket when he was asked whether Australia’s largest hospitality group had protected him.
The company said in November that Palavidis was still allowed to visit its venues despite being charged. The waitress is the first Merivale staff member to take a VIP guest to court.
The company has made a fortune out of its lucrative three-tier VIP stream, which encourages Sydney’s business elite to spend thousands at its restaurants in return for special treatment at its bars, clubs and restaurants across the city.
Merivale, which owns more than 70 sites with an estimated worth of more than $3 billion, is under investigation by SafeWork NSW following claims of sexual harassment, exploitation and drug use at the company’s high-profile Sydney bars and restaurants, including the Ivy and Totti’s Bondi.
The hospitality giant stepped down from the board of the Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association in October following an investigation by the Herald, The Age and Good Food, which revealed claims the company exploited women, encouraged them to have sex with customers, perpetuated sexual harassment and facilitated frequent drug use.
Merivale chief executive Justin Hemmes said in October he was “devastated to read the allegations against Merivale concerning our staff and our culture, and sincerely apologise for any distress and concern that you may be feeling”.
The hearing continues on September 2.
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