Hunter and the hunted

CREDITORS of the company that in February launched Melbourne restaurant Little Hunter, including celebrity chef Pete Evans, were left $760,000 out of pocket when the company went into liquidation.

Yet Little Hunter the restaurant continues to trade; the company that went into liquidation on September 30, Little Hunter Pty Ltd, sold its assets to a new company, Junior Hunter Pty Ltd, that month, notifying suppliers of the sale on September 11. "Little Hunter is currently in the process of being sold," said a group email, advising that the restaurant's new owner was "Junior Hunter Pty Ltd trading as Little Hunter".

Little Hunter Restaurant in Melbourne.

When creditors called the restaurant last week they were told the company that owed them money was in liquidation. Little Hunter Pty Ltd (in liquidation) is owned by a matrix of individuals and companies. A spokesman for the restaurant said "there is no evidence to suggest a phoenix company has been formed", however, Junior Hunter and Little Hunter share a significant overlap of individuals and companies as shareholders.

In a twist, another new-ish Melbourne restaurant, Senoritas, co-owned by a Little Hunter Pty Ltd co-owner, has just closed.

Celebrity chef Evans, who is $50,000 out of pocket, launched the Little Hunter restaurant in February to an audience including Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle. Evans contributed a "10 per cent initial investment" to the restaurant, he told The Australian. However, neither Evans nor any company he is associated with were shareholders of Little Hunter Pty Ltd (in liquidation). But P Evans Investments Pty Ltd - a company owned by the celebrity chef - is a shareholder in Junior Hunter Pty Ltd. Evans says: "I am very concerned as I am owed quite a bit of money ... I have nothing to do with Junior Hunter PL. My lawyer is finding out what this is all about."

We understand Evans's debt is for money he contributed to pay chef Gavin Baker directly. Baker is also not part of the management of either company. The substantial outstanding balance to creditors includes $122,000 to the ATO. The majority of debt is to businesses responsible for the restaurant fitout. Evans and business partner, chef Baker, with a backer, have just launched a new Melbourne restaurant, Nacional.

IT was a long week for Brissie restaurant watchers when not one but two places associated with "name" operators popped their clogs. First came news that Phillip Johnson had shut One Eleven, his CBD offshoot, putting its operating company into administration. "I have thrown everything at it, and it hasn't worked," said Johnson. "Believe me, I am the biggest creditor." One Eleven's demise was no bombshell; news that restaurateur Simon Hill would shut Ortiga was far more surprising. The restaurant has been a consistent critical success, appearing among The Weekend Australian's Hot 50 the past three years. Hill has operated out of the site for 16 years, first as Isis, then Ortiga. He decided not to renew the lease. "Cost cutting and downgrading" was not an option.

MELBOURNE chef Paul Wilson has a lot on his plate, as readers learned last week when we broke the story he was partnering with Sydney's Maurice Terzini and Melbourne's Frank Van Haandel to reinvent Van Handel's Comme as a restaurant and supper club. Wilson started a month's consultancy at Icebergs Dining yesterday. And he's set to consult on the rebirth as a food venue of Surry Hills' Macquarie Hotel, where the plan is to do American barbecue. We have faith Wilson can pull this off.

Source: The Australian, 15 October 2013