Restaurant pair Matt Moran and Peter Sullivan: Talk of angry split is a lot of hot air
Matt Moran and Peter Sullivan have parted ways — but not angrily.
After 24 years, the two men have announced they are going their separate ways with Moran buying his long-time partner out of their joint food and beverage business, MorSul, a name which references both their names, for an undisclosed sum.
The news has created intrigue among Sydney’s gossip-loving foodie set, with one food writer yesterday claiming the relationship had cooled in recent months as a result of Moran being “spread thin” after taking on extra work outside their restaurant partnership.
Sullivan was at Moran’s side when the pair opened ARIA restaurant 16 years ago in 1999, a business which grew into ARIA Brisbane in 2009 and, in 2010, ARIA Catering.
In 2012 the group opened yet another instantly hot Sydney restaurant, Chiswick in Woollahra, before, in 2013, venturing into less formal territory with the beachside venture, North Bondi Fish.
Picture: Sunday Mail
Sullivan has run the restaurants while Moran has managed the culinary side of the business.
A year ago the successful relationship was still holding water as MorSul picked up the Art Gallery of NSW as a client and announced the pair would have an establishment at Barangaroo in 2016. But no more.
Moran said rumours the pair had had a falling-out were “absolute garbage”.
“His son Luke works at ARIA and we are planning a farewell for Peter. We didn’t even have to consult lawyers (to manage the buyout). I love the guy,” he said.
Some claim a “third wheel”, investor Bruce Soloman of Solotel may have contributed to the end of MorSul, a company name which will soon be phased out.
Solotel has been backing MorSul during its expansion for some years.
Sullivan said in a statement: “It has been a fantastic partnership with Matt over 24 years and I wish him and Solotel all the very best for all their future projects.”
Source: The Daily Telegraph, Annette Sharp, July 22nd 2015
Originally published as: Restaurant pair Matt Moran and Peter Sullivan: Talk of angry split is a lot of hot air
