Fine dine restaurant owner calls out ‘singing chef’
Unicorn Seafood Restaurant owner Sushil Sharma has had enough of the ‘singing chef’ next door.
Sharma says The Vault Bar & Tapas owner, David De Vito is turning away his customers with unbearable noise.
Sharma has operated his Broadbeach restaurant for 16 months, while De Vito, who was the runner up on Australia's Got Talent in 2011, has been in the area since October last year.
But Sharma isn’t happy with the singer’s arrival.
"I'm losing money because of it," Sharma told A Current Affair.
Sharma has no issue with live music, but he does have an issue with the volume.
"People don't want to come here," Sharma said.
"They tell us to our face it's too loud.
"There's no way our fine dining restaurant can survive next to loud music."
However De Vito believes his singing has brought customers to the strip.
"I'm a singing chef, I'm in the kitchen cooking and when I get a break from orders I come out and do an opera piece," De Vito told A Current Affair, noting that he is aware of the 75 decibel noise restriction.
De Vito has previously been issued with fines for excessive noise, but he isn’t deterred and has applied for a variation of licence.
If granted, the Queensland Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation can increase his legal decibel licence to 90 decibels.
That would still be under the level De Vito is singing at with Sharma recording the singing at as loud as 120 decibels.
"We have raised our concerns with Liquor and Gaming for more than eight months now and they haven't taken any efficient action against it," Sharma said.
The Queensland Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation is investigating the complaints.
The restaurant owners faced off against each other on A Current Affair.
"When we sing the opera stuff all of his customers are on their feet clapping," De Vito said.
"It's all good but not everyone likes it," Sharma responded.
The pair has tried to work out a solution, but are yet to reach agreement.
Jonathan Jackson, 30th May 2023
