If you’re a real Brisbane foodie, then you probably know the name Tyron Simon. He’s the face behind sAme sAme, Honto, Agnes and Bianca… a handful of our beloved city’s most successful restaurants!
But surprisingly, Ty’s humble beginnings did not kick off in hospitality. In fact, he played cricket from a young age and aspired to continue professionally… that was until he busted a knee.
With a need to secure employment, Ty then discovered his love for food and the service industry, and from there, one of Brisbane’s most celebrated restaurateurs was born.
We all know 2020 was a year of make or break for a variety of industries, and while many restaurants were faced with the incredibly hard decision to close their doors and limit patronage, Ty’s perseverance and determination made him a role model for the business community.
One of his newest restaurants, sAme sAme, only opened its doors in late 2019, so with a booming first few months, Ty’s quick thinking was to convert their entire menu to takeaway. He also put out a PSA online for anyone who knew someone doing it tough, he would personally deliver them a meal on the house!
Another one of Ty’s highly anticipated restaurants that was due to open in April of 2020 was Agnes… an old brick warehouse that transformed into a celebration of wood-fired cooking. With the restaurant aspect put on hold during COVID, it instead opened as a pop-up bakery, deli and wine shop.
Lines began at 5am for their straightforward menu of sourdoughs, cluster rolls, pizzette, cinnamon doughnuts, lemon tarts and more… with most of it sold out by 8am. Once again, Ty and his team had pivoted during a time of the unknown but did so in a way that would keep people employed.
His other restaurant Honto was also bustling during this period and if you thought that’s where Ty would pull up the stumps, well you thought wrong. With the creative juices flowing, another icon was born – and it goes by the name Bianca.
All of this was just the ingredients for Ty to take out the The Courier-Mail Business Person of the Year Award in 2020. His adaptation and perseverance through tough times and the courage to take risks and make difficult decisions is proof that Ty can achieve whatever he sets out to do. Congratulations Ty!
