Aclaimed Ponsonby Road culinary institution Sidart closed its doors last week with immediate effect, citing various reasons.
Restaurant owner, Lesley Chandra, said that, following careful consideration, the difficult decision was made to close Sidart indefinitely.
"This decision was not made lightly, and we are deeply grateful for the support, memories, and experiences we’ve shared with each of you over the years."
Opened by Auckland hospitality veterans Sid and Chand Sahrawat in 2009, Sidart has grown from strength to strength in its 16-year history. The Sahrawats sold the restaurant to Executive Chef Lesley Chandra in 2021.
The popular restaurant has become the latest in a long list of Ponsonby restaurants to have closed in recent years. Others have included the once-buzzing SPQR, which has since reopened as Jacuzzi, and Ponsonby Road Bistro, closing after 18 years.
Chandra said several factors contributed to the closure of Sidart. Staff had also remained a big challenge, having moved from a kitchen with six chefs to only two remaining in the end.
He added that the restaurant had tried its best to mitigate some of the pressures, but ultimately, it had become too much. Recently, Chandra had tried to introduce new styles and cuisines on the menu, such as Italian. He said that unfortunately made no difference.
He described the lead-up to the restaurant's demise as digging a deeper hole, which was eventually too hard to get out of.
Chandra said he will now take a break from the industry. He added that he looked forward to spending time with his family, especially his young kids. He has no plans to open a new restaurant in the foreseeable future.
He added that he looked forward to not having to deal with payroll and accounts, or any of the administrative side.
With closures of a similar nature occurring across the country, Minister of Regulation David Seymour has launched a sector-wide review in order to tackle the major issues and red-tape restrictions facing the industry, preventing business growth and success.
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