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Is Fine Dining Dead?

A string of high-end restaurants are shutting up shop. So have we fallen out of love with gourmet grub?
Burger with fries on left, gourmet dessert with green garnish on right.Burger Project Instagram, Rockpool

Is this the the death of the white table cloth? After 27 years, 66 Good Food Guid Chefโ€™s hats and one accidental electrical fire, Sydneyโ€™s three-hatted Rockpool is shutting itโ€™s doors on July 30. 

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Owner Neil Perry says he is now focusing on his slew of other businesses, including Rockpool Bar and Grill and his chain of gourmet Burger Project outlets.

He is just the latest in a series of high-end chefs to hang up their pans after decades in the business. Last week Mark Best, chef and owner of Sydneyโ€™s Marque announced he will be closing after 17 years while in Melbourne, renowned chef Andrew McConnellโ€™s Moon Under Water is closing itโ€™s doors. 

Perry has told The Sydney Morning Heraldโ€™s Good Food that the reason he is winding up his fabled eatery is that high-end gastronomy has lost itโ€™s appeal for him both professionally and personally. โ€œI travel around the world now and dine in modern three hat/three star/top 50 restaurants and I just get fatigued with flavour. Sometimes the foodโ€™s just not all that deliciousโ€ฆ Itโ€™s heartbreaking in a way but weโ€™ve got a really strong idea of what we want to do.โ€

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