Revealed: the location of Guillaume Brahimi's new restaurant
Departing Sydney Opera House chef Guillaume Brahimi will open a new restaurant at the site of landmark Paddington restaurant Darcy's next year.
“We finalised the deal last night [Sunday]. We'll take over at the end of December and open around Easter. It'll be named Guillaume,” the chef told goodfood.com.au.
Moving in ... 'Guillaume' will open in the site of Darcy's restaurant in Paddington next year. The future of Darcy's is unknown.
Brahimi has been at the centre of a controversial exit from the Opera House, which signalled its intention earlier this year to replace his fine dining Guillaume at Bennelong restaurant with a bistro-style operation.
The chef refused to partake in the tender, recently won by the team behind Melbourne's Stokehouse restaurant.
Fans of Brahimi's three-hatted restaurant, which closes at the end of the year, won't have to wait long to eat his food again.
“We'll keep some of the classics. But I want it to be a place where people can come in for three or four courses or just one. It has happened so quickly, I haven't decided exactly how it [the menu] will be. But it's the next part of the journey we've had at Bennelong,” Brahimi said.
The chef said he was a fan of places such as The Ledbury, the London restaurant with Australian Brett Graham in the kitchen.
Brahimi will begin work on the new location in January. The future of the current occupant of Darcy's is not known. Owner Attilio Marinangeli could not be contacted for comment.
“Attilio Marinangeli is one of Sydney’s notable restaurateurs and Darcy’s has been an iconic restaurant for more than 38 years. I am grateful that Attilio is giving me the opportunity to establish my new restaurant in that beautiful restaurant space,” Brahimi said in a statement.
“Like many Sydneysiders I have a strong sentimental attachment to Darcy’s. My wife and I dined there to celebrate the birth of our first daughter and we loved the intimate and elegant atmosphere. We have since had many happy occasions there and we now look forward to many more to come.”
Source: Good Food, 18 November 2013
