Guillaume Brahimi to close restaurant
There goes another eatery.
French expat chef Guillaume Brahimi has announced he is closing his namesake restaurant Guillaume Paddington.
The 60 seat restaurant, which opened in 2014, following extensive renovations will be shut at the end of the year.
It’s been a tough year for Sydney restaurants and diners.
In the middle of this year, Sydney lost Marque restaurant and Silvereye. And Rockpool, which was established in 1989, has rebranded itself as Eleven Bridge.
Brahami had set up the restaurant in Hargrave Street after a stint at the Opera House where he had run Guillaume at Bennelong for several years.
That ended when he lost the tender after the Opera House opted to put the site through a downmarket makeover. The Opera House Trust had decided to update the space with a bar and cafe.
The Opera House site had been a prominent spot for Sydney dining and was well attended by local and international visitors.
Since coming to Paddington, the area has seen increased competition with a number of high profile restaurants setting up there.
Brahini says his focus now will be on his three bistros around the country, his Paddington hotel the Four in Hand in Sutherland Street and other consultancies with Crown.
He has also opened a Sydney branch of Bistro Guillaume. That’s in addition to a consultancy deal with Public House Management Group. Bistro Moncur is in the Public House stable.
Brahini said the place was closing up because the lease was about to expire. He had decided not to renew it.
“While I have loved the last three years ... in Paddington and it has been a difficult decision not to take up for that option period, I am happy with my decision to focus all my energy into my bistros around the country,” Brahimini said in his statement.
by Leon Gettler, November 10th 2016
