Chef Matt Moran to keep operating Opera Bar for another decade

Matt Moran and Peter Sullivan are set to operate Opera Bar for another decade after winning the tender

The company’s principals including Bruce Solomon, Anna Solomon and John Gallas from Solotel, and Matt Moran and Peter Sullivan from MorSul, signed on to continue to operate the popular Opera Bar after a highly competitive public tender process.

“We’re just very excited and glad the process is over and looking forward to making it bigger and better,” said Moran from Bob Oatley’s Hamilton Island where he is attending Audi Race Week.

“It’s been a long wait and I hear it was pretty close, but we’ve had a close partnership with the Opera House for 13 years.”

Matt Moran will continue his involvement in running the Opera Bar

The ARIA chef, who launches his latest Lifestyle Channel TV series Paddock to Plate this week at his Chiswick restaurant in Woollahra, said plans offered in the successful tender include a more diverse food experience showcasing Australian produce, plus new menus he will personally design.

“We’re going to put a little cafe down the southern end, towards the ARIA end. We are looking to have more food offerings, and there will be a raw bar and a charcutery bar down there and charcoal grill. I’m going to be a little bit more involved.”

Moran and the Solotel group fought off other contenders, believed to have include Justin Hemmes’ Merivale group, which is believed to withdrawn from the bid.

Moran will continue to operate Bennelong, above the Opera Bar concourse, as a venue for hire. The original tender had to be reopened after Melbourne’s Stokehouse group withdrew because a fire destroyed their historic South Yarra restaurant.

Opera Bar, seen here during Vivid, is the busiest food and beverage venue at the Opera House

Opera Bar is the busiest food and beverage venue at the Opera House and one of the most popular in the nation, said Sydney Opera House Trust chairman John Symond.

“This excellent result demonstrates the value of the tender process and will ensure Opera Bar remains an important part of the Opera House visitor experience,” he said.

Sydney Opera House CEO Louise Herron said the Trust was impressed with the high quality of all the tenders.

“The Solotel bid was outstanding and the result will be a significant investment in reimagining the venue to enhance its status as a destination bar and restaurant,” she said.

“Solotel has operated the venue since 2001 and we’re delighted that Matt Moran will be taking a more active role in the venue.”

Source:  The Telegraph - 18th August 2014