While the Manvell’s grand plan is to grow the business “to the nth degree”, they’re definitely not in a hurry.

“Find the right site and the right franchisee, then we’ll jump,” explained Graham. “But at sSs it takes a little longer because we’re really careful about how we grow. We have to get the foundations right before we take the next step.

“For us it’s not just about the money, it’s about quality and standards and we’re pretty protective of our brand,” said Graham.

The sSs franchise business plan is for solid, slow expansion that ensures the business is strong on all fronts. Established in 1993, there are six sSs restaurants - at Tamworth, Cessnock, Coffs Harbour and Lake Munmorah, in New South Wales, and in Brisbane and Toowoomba, in Queensland.

The success of each sSs is based on partnership, teamwork, distinctive branding, comprehensive marketing, passion, commitment and consistency.

The Manvells aspire to being the best at everything they do and they believe that not all steakhouses are created equal!

Photo: Marlene and Graham Manvell

The Manvells received the award before a crowd of nearly 500 people at the Quality Business Awards, held by the Tamworth and District Chamber of Commerce on September 16, 2005.

The annual award, established by the Chamber in 1995, is named in honour of Noel Park, a former local state member during the 1970s and 1980s, who strongly supported small business in the New England region.

Chamber Manager, Max Cathcart, said Graham and Marlene had helped put Tamworth on the map, used local produce like buffalo and wine from the Tamworth area in their restaurants and had grown their business significantly.

“They are a great couple. They complement each other, work well together as a team, show a lot of initiative, have strong entrepreneurial skills and are held in high esteem in the town and district,” Max said.

sSs restaurants have received more than 40 awards and the most recent went to Coffs Harbour sSs which won the Restaurant and Catering Services section of the NSW Tourism Awards in Sydney on November 24, 2005 for the second consecutive year. This was hot on the heels of Coffs Harbour winning the Best Franchise section of the Coffs Harbour Small Business Awards of the Year on November 12, 2005.

Earlier last year, at the Australian Tourism Awards held in Alice Springs in February, Coffs Harbour was a finalist in the Restaurant and Catering Services section. And in May it won Best Steak Restaurant for the North Coast and New England region at the Restaurant and Catering Awards held at Coffs Harbour.

Three sSs restaurants – Cessnock, Lake Munmorah and Coffs Harbour – competed against each other when they all were finalists in the Restaurant and Catering Association’s awards for Best Steak Restaurant. Last September, Coffs Harbour went on to be recognised as the Best Steak Restaurant in New South Wales in the NSW Restaurant and Catering Awards held in Sydney.

The façades of these restaurants feature large and spectacular neon signs emblazoned with the new sSs logo.

They’re truly eye catching and the bright yellow flames that rise up behind the three S’s literally glow.

“We’re selling out of our whites which are such a success,” explained Graham Manvell, who is always looking for a point of difference.

“So I thought, wouldn’t it be nice to come up with a white wine made with a red grape!”

He discussed this idea with his winemaker, John Cassegrain, and they decided to lightly bag press the merlot grapes so they took the flesh of the grapes with just a hint of pink from the skins.

The result is a fruity white wine with a blush colour which the Manvells have called Pink Flamingo.

“It’s a lovely, alfresco-style fruity wine – not sweet, not dry – just gorgeous,” said Graham. “And it’s gone ballistic.”

Lazy Poet’s white merlot was released at the Sydney Food Show in July 2005 where it complemented cheeses from Dairy Farmers.

A three page story appeared in the Walkabout Dining section of R.M. Williams Outback magazine with photos of Marlene and Graham with their buffalo herd and Graham in the kitchen.

Seminars, launches, training sessions, staff parties and corporate lunches and dinners are increasingly being held at Queen Ann.

It is centrally located, downstairs from sSs BBQ Barns, on the conference level of Pacific International Apartments, on the corner of Queen and Ann streets in the CBD.

This venue exudes a timeless elegance and all the latest technological aids are available for hire - P. A. system, five-disc CD player, electronic lectern, flip chart, white board, overhead projector and wall-mounted screens. The air-conditioned rooms also have a fully adjustable lighting system and complete blackout.

The food at Queen Ann is a talking point – it comes freshly made from the sSs kitchen so it’s ‘real food’, made to the strict sSs standard. The scones and Danish pastries are made ‘in-house’, the cream for the scones includes crushed strawberries and of course sSs’s famous baby ribs are on the menu. Guests trying them for the first time are ‘blown away’ by their tenderness and taste.

The romantic ambience created by the white marble staircase, candelabra & candlelit table settings & parquetry dance floor at Queen Ann makes it perfect as a wedding venue too.

Well … you can, because now sSs also does room service!

Guests at Pacific International Apartments in Brisbane’s CBD can order from the sSs menu between 5.30 – 10pm seven nights a week.

So, next time you’re in the river city for a holiday or on business why not stay at Pacific International Apartments and eat from the sSs kitchen?