Dishing up success

After spending seven years at university studying science and engineering, Michael Togias took a major life turn, setting up his first small business enterprise — a lottery shop on Melbourne’s urban fringe — in the year 2000. Since then, he’s followed his heart into hospitality and his beloved CBD, and now owns six cafes and eateries. Working from his flagship establishment, the landmark Mr Tulk Café attached to Victoria’s State Library, he attributes his survival, and success, to keeping strict cost ratios, respecting his staff, and enjoying his work.