Grill’d founder Simon Crowe buys $22million Toorak Melbourne mansion
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Grill’d founder spends $22 million lavish six-bedroom mansion in upscale suburb after hamburger chain receives $16 million from taxpayers — but has cut interns’ wages
- Grill’d founder Simon Crowe and his wife Sophie buy regal Toorak mansion
- They paid $22 million for the large c1886 house with a turret
- Grill’d criticized for paying thousands of interns cut wages
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The founder of a popular hamburger chain who has been criticized for paying low wages to employees while his company collected $16 million from a taxpayer-funded payroll subsidy has bought a castle-like dream home for $22 million.
Simon Crowe, founder of Grill’d, bought the palatial, tastefully redesigned Italianate Victorian mansion in the name of his wife Sophie in the upmarket suburb of Toorak in Melbourne.
The six-bedroom home is “unrivaled in terms of grandeur, level of finish and unforgettable beauty,” according to the 2021 listing by luxury real estate firm Marshall White.
The founder of a popular hamburger chain who has been criticized for paying its staff low wages while his company collected $16 million from a taxpayer-funded wage subsidy has bought a castle-like dream home
Simon Crowe, founder of Grill’d, bought the palatial, tastefully redesigned Italian Victorian mansion in the name of his wife Sophie in the upscale Melbourne suburb of Toorak.
The purchase comes after the Crowes sold their previous home in South Yarra for $15 million, Domain reported.
The three-storey limestone, marble and mahogany-filled mansion has a tennis court, swimming pool, four living rooms, a butler’s pantry, and a private tower room where the owners overlook Toorak.
Once owned by television comedian and host Steve Vizard, the circa 1886 home was recently renovated under the direction of architect Russell Casper and the interior was redesigned by American-born designer Thomas Hamel.
Grill’d was the largest recipient of a Covid apprenticeship program in Australia, raising $16.6 million while paying his interns lower wages, the AF reported.
The burger chain got the grant for 2,800 employees who were paid a lower hourly rate than non-trainees.
The three-level limestone, marble and mahogany mansion has a tennis court, swimming pool, four living rooms, a butler’s pantry and a private tower room from which the owners can look out over Toorak
Once owned by much-loved television comedian and host Steve Vizard, the circa 1886 home was recently renovated with architect Russell Casper overseeing
An 18-year-old Grill’d intern was paid $14.95 per hour under the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement, compared to $17.20 for a non-trainee.
Grill’d claimed an average of just under $6,000 per taxpayer employee.
The director of the United Workers Union, Godfrey Moase, accused the company of using the grant to “drive wages to a very low level.”
The company faced criticism from ex-employees earlier in 2019 after it was revealed it had claimed $7 million from taxpayers for its so-called “hamburger college.”
The employees complained about the quality of the training program and that it was difficult to graduate to get a higher wage.
Complaints from some of the young workers were that they were locked into “pathetic” wages at Grill’d.
Grill’d has defended its training programs, saying they provide jobs for thousands of young people.
In total, Grill’d has approximately 4,500 employees in 152 stores across Australia, many of whom have completed company internships.
In total, Grill’d has approximately 4,500 employees in 152 stores across Australia, many of whom have completed company internships.
The company is worth over $370 million and has recently expanded into overseas markets.
Crowe co-founded Grill’d in 2004 with Geoff Bainbridge, but the pair got into a bitter argument.