Man about town Ricardo Simich brings you Society Insider. This week, a new owner for soon-to-close Ponsonby Road Bistro; Rich List daughter Natalie Norman reveals the secrets to her success; multi-millionaire property guru is paying it forward; and the Kiwis living it up at Coachella.
Society Insider: Luke Dallow, Thane Kirby new owners of Ponsonby Road Bistro; Sleepyhead daughter Natalie Norman’s business inspiration; Property guru Greg Munt’s Happiness Project
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Greg and Shanna Munt are using their connections to help others; Luke Dallow and Thane Kirby have a new hospitality venture; Natalie Norman, daughter of Sleepyhead's Craig Turner, is finding business success of her own. Photo / Herald composite
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Teaming up with former broadcaster Thane Kirby, Dallow is turning the bistro into Gigi Bar and Restaurant, which he promises will be full of “celebration, escapist vibes, affordable luxury” mixed with French style and a “female-first energy”.
Ponsonby Rd Bistro will close on May 3. GiGi’s invitation-only grand opening launch party is set to take place on Saturday, May 10, with the public opening the following Tuesday.
Dallow says he has been working for months with suppliers to ensure a quick, smooth transition.
“Time is money.”
Dallow, 52, whose previous hospitality ventures have included Sale Street, Red Hummingbird and Tin Soldier, has been focusing on his real estate career over the past few years.
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He sold his last Ponsonby Rd establishment, the Midnight Gardener, in March 2022. He told the Herald at the time it was too hard to run a profitable hospitality business in the tough economic climate caused by the Covid lockdowns.
But he says now the time is right to open something fresh.
“We’re 75% through the storm. This is the right time to be bold and add something new to Ponsonby’s iconic bar and restaurant scene,” Dallow told Society Insider.
The new venture comes 32 years after Dallow opened his first Auckland bar — Salsa in Grey Lynn.
His hospitality career started in 1987 with a job washing dishes at the Hasbrown Factory in Manukau City before working his way up to running bars and restaurants in South Auckland.
Time in Europe taught him how global hospitality ticked. He worked for the Hard Rock Cafe in London and went on to open Hard Rock franchises in Copenhagen, Antwerp and beyond.
Dallow’s name became synonymous with Ponsonby Rd’s Chapel Bar and Bistro when he opened it in 2006.
“Among the famous places along Ponsonby Rd, I saw the perfect corner spot,” he says.
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“I knew I could make it into something special.”
Dallow and Kirby met at Park in the Park Bar in the 1990s and have been firm friends since then.
Kirby, 49, best known as the founder of George FM, left his last radio job with Hauraki in 2020. During his radio career, he often made headlines for controversial on-air comments and Broadcasting Standards complaints.
Since leaving radio, he has been in demand as a videographer and music consultant.
Dallow says Kirby was his main man at Chapel right from the beginning, as the resident DJ bringing the vibe that made the spot famous.
Dallow moved on from Chapel in 2020, with Craig and Kyle Anderson taking ownership, and Dallow retaining 5% silent shareholding. He says he walked away permanently soon after, because of differing business styles. Since then, Chapel Bar has made numerous media headlines, including going into receivership at the end of 2023.
Kirby left Chapel in the middle of last year.
GiGi is Dallow and Kirby’s first official venture together and the pair are excited to combine their skills and become part of the Ponsonby strip’s renaissance.
Dallow loves what sisters Bronwyn and Jessica Payne have done with Jacuzzi. The sisters, who also own Ponsonby restaurants Hoppers and Elmo’s, took over the SPQR site and transformed it into Jacuzzi, which opened in February.
“I think they have brought a new energy to Ponsonby Rd and I admire what the new generation of hospitality entrepreneurs is doing along the strip,” he says.
As they pull their staff together, Dallow will be front of house and across the kitchen, while Kirby will be the “atmosphere creator,” which will see him oversee marketing and create the environment of GiGi.
GiGi will retain much of Ponsonby Bistro’s already very workable set-up with a central bar, but Dallow and Kirby plan to add touches of French flair in the furnishings and lighting.
The pair are marketing GiGi as a real person, giving a back story to the character who they are using as the inspiration behind the bar and restaurant. They say Gigi “was born in Marseille, once graced the runways of Paris and Milan, living a life of effortless elegance and mischievous glamour”.
Dallow says “GiGi represents late nights, loud laughter, and unforgettable meals”.
Although admiring what the Payne sisters have done with Jacuzzi, Dallow says he is hoping Gigi will attract SPQR’s former regulars.
The menu will comprise six main dishes and small plates, which will be low-carbohydrate and keto diet-friendly.
As well as a selection of alcoholic drinks, non-drinkers will also be well-catered for, with alcohol-free AF cocktails included on the bar list.
“Day to Day, GiGi will have upbeat Parisian lounge vibes colliding with a modern ’80s revival — inspired by the sensual allure of institutions such as [Paris luxury five-star] Hôtel Costes,” says Kirby.
Sleepyhead heiress Natalie Norman’s secrets to success
Rich List daughter Natalie Norman, the fourth generation of the famous Sleepyhead Dynasty, is carving her niche in the business world.
Norman is the founder, face and chief executive of sleep brand Growbright, which started as a small online business with one product and has now grown into an award-winning trans-Tasman mover and shaker in multiple fields.
She is the daughter of Craig Turner, and niece of Graeme Turner, the brothers who are the third generation to run their family business Sleepyhead, which has more than 1200 employees in New Zealand and Australia. The brothers are reported to have an estimated net worth of $175 million.
Norman says her father and uncle instilled her work ethic from an early age. Her degrees in fashion and business at AUT, and 10 years working at Sleepyhead, prepared her to launch her own business.
“Growing up, conversations about business didn’t stop at the office; it was just the way we lived,” she tells Society Insider. “Manufacturing and sleep aren’t just what we do — they’re part of who we are.”
Norman is the older half-sister of Cameo Turner, who made Society Insider’s Ones to Watch list in January. Los Angeles-based Turner is the content coordinator for LA-based women’s clothing label, Show Me Your Mumu.
The brand has dressed famous fans such as Beyoncé, Kendall Jenner and Alessandra Ambrosio.
Norman says that in the seven years since launch, her business has expanded from a single product to a full sleep ecosystem, offering “premium pillows designed for every stage of life”.
Growbright launched around the same time as the birth of Norman’s daughter Amelia, so she says it was natural for her to become the face of the brand, and she formed a connection with customers by using social media to share snippets of her life as a new mum.
“Everything from the realities of sleep (or lack of it), to the everyday chaos of parenting. Those honest, behind-the-scenes moments became part of the brand’s identity, and it just made sense for me to be the face of it.”
Norman lives in Remuera with her husband Greg and their two children, Liam and Amelia. Greg is the son of Anne and David Norman, the multi-millionaire owners of NZ’s largest retail group, James Pascoe Group.
“Balancing work and family is definitely a juggling act, and we do our best to make sure one of us is always around for the kids,” Norman says.
“We’re really lucky to have amazing family support, which makes a huge difference, especially when work takes us away.”
Norman also has a close group of business-women friends, including skincare company founder Emma Lewisham, shoe designer Kathryn Wilson, and hospitality powerhouse Liv Carter. She credits her circle with helping her keep things in balance.
“One of the best things about being a woman in business is the powerful network of strong, supportive women who lift each other up,” Norman says. “I’m so grateful to be surrounded by women who inspire, challenge, and encourage me, whether it’s through pushing each other to aim higher, stepping outside our comfort zones, or simply sharing the everyday highs and lows of life and motherhood.”
In 2020, she launched a second brand, by Natalie, which she also fronts. Next month, she will head to China to refine some ideas for new products to come.
“Bringing them to life takes time, especially while balancing the realities of running a small business and raising young kids,” Norman says.
The property finance guru’s Happiness project
Multi-millionaire property finance guru Greg Munt has launched a new project where he can pay his fortune forward.
After a three-year hiatus from his “feel good work”, Munt and his wife Shanna have recently launched Happiness Project, a charitable venture that gives children affected with illness and disability unforgettable one-day experiences.
Munt says that often, families who are coping with serious conditions have their budgets and time stretched thin by medical needs.
“Being treated to a magical day out not only offers respite but also instils hope and the positive energy and emotional boost can last long after the day itself,” Munt tells Society Insider.
Munt’s career in property finance has seen him build and sell two financial service businesses, the last in October 2021. When the business was sold, Munt also gave them rights to his previous children’s charity Dream Days.
With some business advisory roles, Munt has recently kicked off a property investment business “Own with Williams” with Blair Chappell and Matthew Horncastle’s Williams Corporation, in which they co-own property with first home buyers.
Munt has a home on Ōrewa Beach and after recently buying a new home on a lifestyle block in nearby Stillwater, he and Shanna felt the time was right to kickstart helping others again.
The Happiness Project is focused on creating days tailored to each child’s passions.
Its first recipient was 17-year-old Patrick Walsh and his family.
“During Patrick’s final year of high school, his heart was starting to fail, and he needed a valve repair,” Melanie Walsh, Patrick’s mother, tells Society Insider. “He underwent two open-heart surgeries. It’s been a bumpy road since.”
Patrick’s Happiness Project day included three supercars and a Rolls-Royce, supplied by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Auckland.
James Kellow of NZ Mortgages and Securities lent the company’s helicopter, which flew Patrick and family out to Kellow’s Light House Station in Manukau Heads for some clay shooting.
Walsh says Patrick, who plays the drums, missed many band practices last year. A passionate Kiwi music fan, his first-ever concert was Six60.
Munt enlisted the help of Six60’s bass player Chris Mac, who spent the day with Patrick and his family, and even took the family to his bar, 605 Drinkery in Morningside.
“Patrick was speechless for a moment when he met Chris Mac there, and then he went to hang out with him and have a jam; he just loved it,” says Walsh.
She says that when a child or young person has a complex health condition, it can be very hard to stay positive through it all.
“The whole day was epic, we were treated like VIPs, and to see the happiness on their faces was amazing.
“Sometimes an amazing day like we had with the Happiness Project can help override some of that trauma and help make new, better memories.”
The Happiness Project is a return to the work of Munt’s former children’s charity Dream Days, which he ran for more than 12 years. Over that time, he created opportunities for children and their families to switch off, forget their troubles and have a tailored day of dreams.
Munt’s love of high-performance supercars, saw him create magical days with fleets of Lamborghinis, McLarens, Porsches, helicopters, private estates and mansions, meeting heroes, and providing backstage access to give kids and their families money can’t buy experiences.
He’s had numerous feel-good collaborations with businesses and celebrities over the years, providing memorable experiences.
He has enlisted the help of former Prime Minister Sir John Key, Shortland Street stars, international sports stars, as well as All Blacks, Silver Ferns and Warriors, who get involved with the tailored dream days for children.
“The Mowbray family has been wonderful, giving us access to their beautiful Mahoenui Valley Estate and helicopter, along with heaps of Zuru toys,” he says.
He says it’s been important that his four children all have had the chance to help or attend the events, and they’ve learned valuable lessons about empathy and gratitude.
“They see that not everyone has the same opportunities or the same health, and it’s taught them kindness and perspective from an early age,” he says.
“We have supported children dealing with everything from leukaemia and other cancers to cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorders, and rare genetic conditions.”
Munt wants to see the Happiness Project grow throughout New Zealand and enable members of various communities to get on board in whatever support function they can.
“Anyone who wants to help can do so by offering time, donations to fund specific events, or resources – everything from sponsoring travel to hosting an event space to helping spread the word through our Instagram @happinessprojectnz,” he says.
Party people of the week
Kiwis at Coachella
While Easter weekend’s wild weather left most Kiwis hunkering down indoors, some of our famous faces have been partying up a storm overseas.
Over the past two weekends, some celebs and society set have been spotted at Coachella 2025, the famous music and arts festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.
Before her new single release, Kiwi music star Lorde gave a surprise duet performance alongside Charli XCX last weekend.
Our own superstar choreographer Parris Goebel gave the festival’s headline act Lady Gaga the moves to wow the valley across both weekends.
Among the Kiwis spotted staying in Palm Springs and getting among the Coachella action included New York-based star model Jordan Daniels, LA-based Rich List son and robotics engineer Toby Baker and his fiancee, the Talent Bakery founder Mikayla Haycock, as well as Sydney-based Kiwi creative designer Zakk d’Larté.
Auckland hospitality personality Albert Cho was hanging out with multimillionaire director of Aotearoa Labour Hire, Israel Whitley.
Also at Coachella were Red Bull on-premise marketing manager Georgia Saywell and social media and podcast co-ordinator Estella Gapes, the daughter of Auckland property developer Tony Gapes.
Seen having the time of her life, taking in the performances of Missy Elliot, Benson Boone, Green Day, Post Malone, and Travis Scott, was broadcaster Brodie Kane with her friend, associate director at Property Services, Michelle Padgett and former AM co-host Lloyd Burr.
Ricardo Simich has been with the Herald since 2008 where he contributed to The Business Insider. In 2012 he took over Spy at the Herald on Sunday, which has since evolved into Society Insider. The weekly column gives a glimpse into the worlds of the rich and famous.
