Popular Sydney dumpling restaurant falls foul of COVID-19
Din Tai Fung is the latest victim of COVID-19 lockdowns, having to close one of its most popular Sydney restaurants.
The Central Park store in Chippendale was a well-regarded city fringe eatery and like many restaurants in the chain was popular for allowing passers-by to watch the dumpling makers in action.
The popular Sydney restaurant becomes the latest in a long line of Sydney restaurants that have failed to navigate their way through the pandemic.
Saffron Felix Joop Investments, which formerly traded as Din Tai Fung, put the restaurant into administration in early January. Liquidation will be overseen by Chifley Advisory Australia liquidators Gavin Moss and Mohammad Najjar.
The Din Tai Fung chain has 10 restaurants across Melbourne Sydney, but started life in Taiwan in 1956.
The chain expanded to stores across Asia, the United States and the UK, however it has been hit hard by COVID-19 and was recently forced to shut its first restaurant in the United States.
The chain was so popular in the US, it was hailed by The New York Times as one of the Top 10 in the world in 1993. In 2013, Din Tai Fung made No. 1 on the The Daily Meals’ 101 Best Restaurants in Asia.
COVID hasn’t been the only issue the company has had to navigate. In August 2020, the Fair Work Ombudsman took action against operators of four other of Din Tai Fung’s Australian stores.
The stores were accused of underpaying employees by as much as $150,000 and using false records.
Director Dendy Harjanto, general manager Hannah Handoko and HR co-ordinator Sinthiana Parmenas are being pursued for these breaches.
There are two entities under facing the allegations: DTF World Square Pty Ltd and Selden Farlane Lachlane Investments Pty Ltd. The entities will face the Federal Court in February and could face up to $630,000 in penalties of per contravention.
Irit Jackson, 26th January 2021
