Revealed: Secrets of Brisbane’s most exclusive club

Neither money nor influence can buy you membership to this exclusive Brisbane club that boasts a guest list so high-profile it is kept top secret.

Sam Thaiday with his personalised steak knife at the new restaurant Black Hide Steak and Seafood in Queens Wharf. Picture: Nigel Hallett

It’s arguably Brisbane’s most exclusive club.

It has just under 600 members; is invite-only, and boasts a guest list so high-profile it is kept top secret.

It’s the Black Hide Knife Ambassador Club.

Established by Brisbane’s renowned hospitality family, the Gambaros, the culinary club is only open to beef fanatics and those who are loyal supporters of the clan’s charity and community events and their restaurants: Black Hide Caxton St, Gambaros Seafood, Persone, Pipi’s and the newly opened Black Hide Queens Wharf.

John Gambaro next to the knife ambassador display at his new restaurant Black Hide Steak and Seafood in Queens Wharf. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Each constituent receives a handcrafted, bespoke steak knife created by West Australian craftsman David Brodziak engraved with their own special message.

The knife is then stored in a custom, backlit display case at one of the Black Hide restaurants, ready to be brought out for members to use during their visit.

While restaurant owner John Gambaro said technically anyone is capable of becoming an ambassador, no amount of money or influence can buy a membership.

“We created the knife ambassador program to make sure we reward people and make them feel special when they come in,” said Mr Gambaro.

Knife maker David Brodziak makes the knives exclusively for the Black Hide restaurants.

The program was inspired by some of Queensland’s most noteworthy restaurants, including Yamagen at Surfers Paradise, where loyal patrons would previously receive their own scotch bottle, and Brisbane CBD teppanyaki favourite Kabuki, which rewarded special guests with personalised chopsticks.

While Mr Gambaro won’t be drawn on the full list of members, with many swearing him to secrecy, it can be revealed that everyone from the country’s richest business people and philanthropists to elite sporting stars are part of the exclusive club, including NRL greats Darren Lockyer, Sam Thaiday and Kevin Walters, and business giants Terry Peabody, Cathy Reid and Mark Tobin.

Former Broncos superstar Sam Thaiday was inducted into the club after becoming a frequent diner at the Black Hide restaurants and contributing to many of the Gambaro family’s charity events.

He has two knives – one at each Black Hide restaurant – engraved with “TRBH”, which is a joke he has with Mr Gambaro and stands for “The Real Black Hide’.

“I think the best thing about being part of the club is especially when you come here with a group of mates and they come and present your knife to you, (it’s) a bit of bragging rights and we all love to tickle the ego every now and then,” he said.