Australian chef and television presenter Kylie Kwong will close her Sydney eatery Lucky Kwong and end her career as a restaurateur, saying she has never seen the industry face such tough times.
Kwong, an author, TV presenter and chef for more than 30 years, became famous among foodies for her unique blend of Cantonese cuisine and native Australian ingredients.
Her restaurant Lucky Kwong in South Eveleigh will have its final day of trade on June 26, after which Kwong said she would embark on new ventures.
“Everyone is feeling it. I have never seen the restaurant industry in such tough times as it is right now,” Kwong told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Kwong opened Lucky Kwong in 2021, after the celebrated chef shut the doors on her previous Sydney venue, Billy Kwong in 2019.
Kwong said the decision to close Lucky Kwong was a sad one, but she was excited about the opportunity to “amplify other people’s stories”.
She said she was looking to further her work with charities focused on First Nations and multicultural communities.
“I’ll still be very much connected to the food industry, but just I’ll be doing it in a different way,” she told the ABC.
Kwong posted on her Instagram a message of thanks to all those who her supported her across her career.
Celebrity chefs, Nigella Lawson and Darren Robertson, left well-wishes on Kwong’s post.
Lawson thanked Kwong for decades of “delicious and soulful genius”.
“I feel a pang knowing that the next time I come back to Sydney there won’t be your restaurant to make a beeline for, but I’m so happy for you to have the time to do what’s right for you,” Lawson said.
Robertson said he had massive respect for Kwong’s contribution to Australian food.
“Now try and get some bloody rest before your next adventures!,” he said.
In 2023, Kwong was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for “significant service to the hospitality industry, and to the community”.