Sooshi Mango's Joe Salanitri says yasou to in-laws' Mount Waverley home

News.com.au

22-05-2025

The baklava's been baked, the ouzo's been poured and now Sooshi Mango's Joe Salanitri is saying yasou to his in-laws' Mt Waverley home of 45 years.
And it's been revealed how wild fusion parties between his own Italian family and his Greek partner's helped inspire the wildly popular ethnic sketch comedy group Sooshi Mango.
The four-bedroom house at 7 Midway St, owned by Chris and Mary Ginis since 1980, has been regularly visited by Salanitri since the late 1990s — when he fell for their daughter Georgina.
'Hectic' bidding war leaves sellers speechless
It has hit the market with a $1.73m-$1.79m price guide and will go under the hammer this Saturday, with both Joe and his Sooshi Mango co-star and brother Carlo expected to attend.
The pair, as well as co-star Andrew Manfre, have become household names with their over-the-top portrayals of Mediterranean mums, dads and uncles, drawing on their upbringing in Melbourne's migrant suburbs.
The Ginis family home has long been at the centre of big Greek celebrations, and Joe has been part of it for more than two decades, having married the couple's daughter Georgina.
'We've raised three daughters in this house,' Ms Ginis said.
'We've hosted some incredible parties, it became the go-to place for all the big family celebrations. Easter, Christmas, christenings, 21sts, engagements, you name it, we've had it.
'There were anywhere from 20 to 40 people for lunch, and sometimes up to 100 for dinner.'
Joe's first visit to the home in the late '90s made a lasting impression.
'He's always been a gorgeous young man. A real gem. He's a great guy from a beautiful family — we were very impressed,' Ms Ginis said.
His father in law Chris recalled the moment he first met his son-in-law,
'First thought? Bloody hell, where'd you find him,' he said.
Joe's parents, Vince and Antonia, also became regulars at Ginis family functions, where they would often explore the common ground of their two cultures with a guitar and some laughter.
'Vince was a natural entertainer,' Mr Ginis said.
'He'd pull out the guitar and sing with the boys, tell stories, get everyone laughing.'
Ray White Judd White Group director Andrew Dimashki, said the home had drawn more than 90 groups and attracted eight confirmed bidders ahead of Saturday's auction — but it's no longer the classic yiayia's house you might expect.
The home was extensively renovated in the late 2000s.
Mr Dimashki said key aspects now include travertine floors, a Miele-equipped kitchen with integrated fridge and dual ovens, and two designer bathrooms with floor-to-ceiling tiling and heated towel rails.
The layout also features a formal lounge room and dining spaces, a bright meals and family room with recessed speakers, a lockable cellar, and a covered outdoor area flowing to landscaped gardens and a built-in barbecue zone.
'The kitchen's the big drawcard, but it's the warmth and feel of the home that people really connect with,' Mr Dimashki said.
'It's elegant, but it's still got heart.'
Mr Ginis said he and his wife were headed to Camberwell in Melbourne's inner east to enjoy a more flexible lifestyle, but hoped the next owners would carry on the home's tradition of hospitality.
'It's got such a great feel to it. Sunshine streams in, and there's just an energy about it. We've always kept it open to everyone, and I think that's part of its soul,' he said.
'Whoever buys this home will inherit the ghost of happiness.'