Online trolls attack Khanh Nguyen, but he is stepping away from his restaurants for family
Award winning chef Khanh Nguyen, who runs the very popular Sunda, Aru and soon-to-open Antara 128, has denied walking away from his restaurants due to rumours of a toxic workplace.
The Melbourne chef made the ‘difficult decision’ to step away from his restaurants last Saturday and was immediately set upon by online trolls who accused the restaurant group of staff abuse and mistreatment.
Nguyen told the Herald Sun: “it’s not true” and said he walked away to spend more time with his family.
“I had been discussing this for a while with my (business) partners and this is something we have planned over a few months,” he said.
“I went away earlier in the year, and I enjoyed my time off. I was at a point in my life that I was always at work, I put a lot into my job and I think I need to spend more time with the important people in my life.
“I have read things about a toxic work environment (online) and it’s not true. The chefs work 40 to 42-hour weeks and the staff have always felt like family. Kitchen culture was always a big thing for me.”
The veteran chef has been around the traps for 15 years, first working in Sydney before moving to Melbourne’s Hotel Windsor Group.
He will travel back to Sydney to see his parents who are now in their 70s.
“It kind of broke their heart when I moved to Melbourne to open a restaurant. I have always been close to my parents. Mum cried for a week and it made me realise I need to spend more time with them,” Nguyen told the Herald Sun.
Nguyen will come back to Melbourne to start a new venture in the future.
“I’ve had people offering me jobs, but I am taking a break and not going to rush into anything. I’ve always wanted to run my own restaurant.”
Antara 128 is set to open this weekend. Nguyen said he had been working on the concept long before he made the decision to step away.
“Even with Antara, we had been planning that for a while. It’s been in the works for a year. After my break, I was asking myself: ‘do I want to open another restaurant?’
“So, I spoke to the partners to see what the best option was.”
Nguyen addressed the workplace environment he had cultivated, saying it was healthy.
“To be honest, the awards don’t mean as much for me. The team would be excited by the awards and accolades more than me. As a chef... I have worked in the industry for a long time and in kitchens with toxic environments.
“I’m most proud of creating a workplace where everyone can respect each other and is open.”
Nguyen is well respected, having been a regular on MasterChef Australia. Following the accusatory post, he was well supported by Neil Perry, Darren Robertson, Melissa Leong, Alla Wolf-Tasker and Adam D’Sylva.
Nguyen wrote on Instagram: “I’m feeling all sorts of mixed emotions knowing what I’m about to say may come as a shock. It is with a heavy heart as I announce my difficult decision to bid farewell to Sunda, Aru and Antara,” he wrote on Instagram.
“I have dedicated my life and soul to these establishments, guiltily, sometimes putting them before my family,”
“The success of the restaurants was not mine alone but a collective effort of the teams. “Together we have achieved remarkable feats, and I reflect in awe of our accomplishments as the restaurants continue to flourish.”
Jonathan Jackson, 4th July 2023
