Comedor Sydney restaurant closes down after chef walks out

By FREDDY PAWLE FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 03:18 GMT, 11 December 2024 | Updated: 03:18 GMT, 11 December 2024

A popular restaurant in Sydney’s Inner West has abruptly closed after its head chef walked out on the owners.

Comedor, a Mexican-cuisine restaurant located in Newtown, announced the closure on its social media accounts on Friday.

‘Comedor is remaining closed until further notice,’ the post reads.

‘We sincerely apologise to those who had bookings and look forward to welcoming you again very soon.’

The post left locals wondering what caused the sudden closure despite it being a busy time of year for the industry.

However, the now-former head chef, Alejandro Huerta, claimed that the closure followed his resignation and most of the kitchen team.

‘I was happy with what we achieved, but it wasn’t a great place to work,’ he told Good Food.

‘It was a heartbreaking experience, not an easy decision to make.’

Popular Newtown restaurant Comedor (pictured) has announced it will be closed until further notice after a reported staff dispute led to a mass walkout weeks after receiving its first hat  

The walkout came just under a month after Mr Huerta helped lead the restaurant’s kitchen to receive one hat in Good Food’s 2025 restaurant awards.

Mr Huerta took to social media to thank his ‘amazing team and everyone that’s involved in this project’ after a glowing review earlier this year.

But a spokesperson for Comedor ownerWalt Shellshear refuted the claim of an almost complete walkout, insisting that ‘just two chefs’ left.

‘Right now, we are taking time to reassess next steps and plan out 2025,’ the statement to the Sydney Morning Herald reads.

‘The new year will see an exciting new team and everything will be revealed in due time, once locked in.’

There is currently no set date for fans of the restaurant to expect it to return.

While the restaurant saw major success, it also received criticism from locals trying to stop a proposed deck extending into the Camperdown Memorial Rest Park.

The restaurant’s head chef, Alejandro Huerta (pictured, centre), said it was a ‘heartbreaking’ decision to leave the restaurant but claimed it ‘wasn’t a great place to work’

About 70 per cent of public feedback for the proposed plan opposed turning the public land into a deck and takeaway café.

But their efforts failed after the Inner West Council granted Comedor a five-year lease in November.

One resident said the decision to press on despite fierce opposition from locals was ‘baffling’, a sentiment echoed by regular park user Pip Hinman.

‘You need to listen to the community and just stop, not listen to the community and go ahead,’ Hinman told the ABC.

Newtown estate agent Charles Bailey fronted the council meeting on behalf of Comedor owner Walter Shellshear, who was interstate.

He defended the venue as a ‘bona fide addition’ to the public park, adding it employs 20 people and provides business to local suppliers.

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Comedor Sydney restaurant closes down after chef walks out

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