Oncore by Clare Smyth to serve its final meal in February
Oncore by Clare Smyth will serve its final courses at Crown Sydney in February. Crown and Smyth have confirmed the closure, sharing a statement from the British chef: “Opening Oncore in Sydney has been an incredible journey,” said Smyth, the only female chef to hold three Good Food hats and three Michelin stars simultaneously.
“I’m deeply proud of what we’ve achieved and grateful to the team whose talent and dedication brought our vision to life. It’s been a privilege to share our food with Australian diners,” she told Good Food.
The decision coincides with the end of Smyth’s agreement with Crown as she gears up to debut luxury bistro Cornucopia in London. It also adds to the chatter about demand at the ultra-premium end of Sydney’s dining scene after a tough 18 months.
Crown isn’t saying who might step into the harbourside space next, but industry sources speaking to Good Food tip Stockholm’s three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Frantzén as a front-runner. For context, Frantzén’s tasting menu lands at around $880 per person before drinks, versus $395 at Oncore and $515 at Core, Smyth’s first solo London restaurant.
Oncore launched with fanfare in 2021 and pulled off a rare feat: three Good Food Guide hats from day one.
It did so while navigating a global pandemic, lockdowns and a team split with London—and it’s retained those three hats ever since. The glossy dining room has been a marquee draw for the Crown precinct, which itself had a bumpy ride to opening amid gaming licence delays. The broader lineup includes Nobu, Woodcut by Ross Lusted, Alessandro Pavoni’s a’Mare and the revived Cantonese institution Golden Century. Oncore arrived with sky-high expectations, equally lofty water views, and a brief to match.
“Clare Smyth’s Oncore has made an extraordinary impact at Crown Sydney, setting a benchmark for excellence,” Crown Sydney chief executive Stanford Le said in a statement, which thanked Smyth and her team.
Smyth’s rise is well documented: head chef at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay at just 29, stacking up a perfect 10/10 in the UK Good Food Guide, five AA Rosettes and three Michelin stars. She repeated the three-star triumph at Core by Clare Smyth in 2017, all while keeping a grounded streak—yes, including roasting chickens for Harry and Meghan’s royal wedding and elevating a humble hero: the potato-and-roe dish that crossed continents onto the Sydney menu.
Former Good Food critic Terry Durack captured the fine-dining debate neatly in his 18/20 review back in 2021: “There’s cause to think that sitting down for three-and-a-half hours over seven courses of fine dining at three Michelin star level is unsustainable, slightly absurd and more of an event than a dinner,” former Good Food critic Terry Durack wrote in his 18/20 review in 2021. “I defend to the death their right to bring it to Sydney, however. And our right to get excited about it.”
It’s also true that Australia hasn’t always been smooth sailing for big-name UK chefs. Sydney has seen closures from Jamie Oliver and Jason Atherton, while Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal exited Melbourne. Oncore’s finale will be watched closely—not just for who takes over the room, but for what it signals about Sydney’s appetite for the very top tier of dining.
Jonathan Jackson, 12th November 2025
