Harry and Mario Kapoulas’ passion for food dates back to their childhood and strong Greek heritage.
“We just loved eating, our family was always eating with grandparents, uncles and aunts," said Harry.
“I think it’s a natural Greek thing which has always been in our blood.”
Those fond memories sowed the seeds for their deli café HAM in the seaside suburb of Cronulla, in Sydney’s south.
"All those foods and good times at family gatherings, that's what we wanted HAM to be," says Mario.
The brothers moved to the Shire in their teens and opened the café in their early 20s, showcasing traditional Greek cuisine.
“Cronulla didn't really have that, so it was important to bring that here and show off our food,” said Harry.
Inside, there’s an authentic Mediterranean feel, with delicacies like spanakopita, moussaka and pastitsio peering from the glass, along with gourmet cheeses and prosciutto.
HAM - an acronym for Harry and Mario - has now been around for almost a decade and has become a popular hot spot.
HAM's dishes are Mediterranean-inspired. Source: Supplied
Dragons player Jason Nightingale and many of his teammates are regulars, often occupying a corner table outside.
“We do a lot of downtime here then head to the beach, " says Nightingale.
The league star also enjoys coming in with his young daughter for banana bread and a babycino.
“It feels like you’re having coffee with your friends every time,” he says.
Trained baristas, the Kapoulas’ brothers started the industry through coffee and remain perfectionists over a good brew.
“Paul Bassett was the 2003 world champion barista, he taught us the skills of making specialty coffee and that’s were our drive came from,” says Mario.
With demand growing, HAM expanded three times, taking over neighbouring shops as well as undergoing a big renovation.
“In a restaurant/café industry, you need to have all facets,” says Harry.
“The shop needs to look fantastic, be up to speed with trends and the food obviously has to be spectacular.
“But what initially draws people to your business is the look, so attention to detail is important.”
While the café has evolved, family remains the core of HAM, with mum Kitty working in the kitchen and dad Peter sourcing fresh produce from the markets.
Like most businesses, there were early challenges working as a family but they were ironed out.
Kitty Kapoulas, Harry and Mario's mum, runs the kitchen. Source: Supplied
"It was mainly over silly things but you take it more personally with family," says Mario.
There have been personal challenges as well after Harry's wife was diagnosed with brain cancer and he was forced to take 18 months off work.
"Everyone goes through tough stuff. I'm lucky enough to have a family and brother who supported me and the business and gave me time to sort out issues we've had,” he says.
“We all stick together and help each other."
The brothers are now getting ready to open a gourmet chicken shop and a bicycle café, both based in Cronulla, where they’ll be managing around 50 staff.
“It’s a bit nerve-wracking but part of success is working hard, reinventing yourself and coming up with new ideas," says Harry.
“I think the fundamentals in running a business will stay the same, but there’ll obviously new challenges to address.”
