Disgraced former restaurant boss Al Yasbek still spruiking business despite ‘leaving’ high profile eateries over Nazi sign outrage

A controversial Sydney restaurateur continues to contact customers for bookings despite stepping down as director following his arrest for displaying a Nazi symbol during a pro-Palestine protest.

Al Yazbek still has a 50 percent stake in the Nomad restaurant group and has been actively reaching out to customers to encourage Christmas bookings, despite being removed from day-to-day management.

Customers have revealed to the Daily Telegraph that Yazbek has messaged urging them to confirm Christmas bookings at Nomad in Sydney and Melbourne, in partnership with Victorian eateries Reine & La Rue.

He sparked national outrage last month after holding a sign that resembled the Israeli flag but with a swastika, the Star of David in the center and the words “Stop Nazi Israel.”

He was arrested after the protest march in Sydney on October 6, which marked one year since the start of the war in Gaza, and was later charged with displaying a Nazi symbol and pleaded guilty.

Yazbek is no longer company secretary-director of Edition Hospitality, which has been rebranded from Nomad Group.

Mr Yazbek’s wife, Rebecca, was recently appointed sole director of Edition Hospitality in an effort to limit damage in the aftermath of the saga.

It appears he is a silent partner in the company and has not severed ties.

Mr Yazbek (pictured holding a sign) was arrested on October 6 for displaying a Nazi symbol at a pro-Palestine protest in Sydney. He will be sentenced on December 10

A former nomad patron and chairman of the Israel For Youth Foundation, Ronn Bechler, told the Daily Telegraph that the hospitality group’s restructuring was “lipstick on a pig.”

“Anyone who eats at, or contracts with, Reine & La Rue in Melbourne and Nomad restaurants in Melbourne and Sydney is funding the Yazbeks.”

“Regardless of what the main company is called or who is on the board,” Bechler said.

After Yazbek displayed the Nazi symbol during the October protest, Reine & La Rue’s co-chief, Israeli-born Jew Rotem Papo, resigned.

Yazbek is said to have been involved in another controversy involving Jewish people.

The Australian reported earlier this month that Yazbek allegedly called his Jewish landlords “Shylock & Shylock.”

The publication reported that Yazbek also described one of the landlord’s employees as “the little bald Jewish man who works for you.”

Customers revealed Mr Yazbek sent a message urging them to confirm Christmas bookings with Nomad in Sydney and Melbourne and Reine & La Rue in Melbourne. Nomad Sydney is pictured

The comments are said to have been made in emails to Robert and Geula Burke, owners of the five-storey Surry Hills building that houses the Nomad restaurant.

Ms Yazbek previously acknowledged that her husband behaved in a way that offended many people.

“We deeply regret the impact his actions have had on the community, and for that we sincerely apologize,” she said.

“As both his wife and business partner, I was outraged by his actions and heartbroken by the damage they caused.”

‘I fully understand the disappointment and frustration felt by those affected, and I am committed to doing everything possible to restore your trust.’

The couple have built their premium restaurant group over the past decade with restaurants Nomad Sydney and Nomad Melbourne, as well as Reine & La Rue.

In a statement earlier this month, Ms Yazbek spoke about the restructuring of the hospitality group.

“Nomad Group is already a successful company, I am confident that this new structure will contribute to our future success.”

“This is the right time to enter a new phase for my company,” she said.

Famed accountant Anthony Bell, founder and CEO of Bell Partners, has been appointed as business advisor to the restaurant group.

Yazbek pleaded guilty last month to displaying a Nazi symbol.

He will be sentenced on December 10.