A popular restaurant in Sydney’s Inner West has abruptly closed after its chef left the owners.
Comedor, a Mexican cuisine restaurant in Newtown, announced its closure on its social media accounts on Friday.
“Comedor will remain closed until further notice,” the message reads.
‘We sincerely apologize to those who had bookings and look forward to welcoming you again soon.’
The post left locals wondering what caused the sudden closure, despite it being a busy time of year for the sector.
However, now-former chef Alejandro Huerta claimed the closure followed his dismissal and most of the kitchen team.
“I was happy with what we achieved, but it wasn’t a great place to work,” he told Good Food.
“It was a heartbreaking experience, not an easy decision.”
Popular Newtown restaurant Comedor (pictured) has announced it will be closed until further notice after a staff dispute sparked a mass strike weeks after receiving its first hat
The strike came just under a month after Mr. Huerta helped lead the restaurant’s kitchen and receive one hat in Good Food’s 2025 restaurant awards.
Mr Huerta took to social media to thank his “great team and everyone involved in this project” following a glowing review earlier this year.
But a spokesman for Comedor owner Walt Shellshear refuted the claim of a near-complete strike, insisting that “only two chefs” left.
“At this time we are taking time to reassess next steps and plan for 2025,” read the statement to the Sydney Morning Herald.
“The new year will see an exciting new team and all will be revealed in due course, once committed.”
There is currently no set date for when fans of the restaurant can expect it to return.
Although the restaurant enjoyed great success, it also faced criticism from locals who tried to stop a proposed terrace extending into the Camperdown Memorial Rest Park.
The restaurant’s chef, Alejandro Huerta (pictured, center), said it was a “heartbreaking” decision to leave the restaurant, but claimed it was “not a great place to work.”
About 70 percent of public responses to the proposed plan were against turning the public site into a patio and takeaway cafe.
But their efforts failed after the Inner West Council awarded Comedor a five-year lease in November.
One resident said the decision to go ahead, despite fierce opposition from locals, was ‘baffling’, a sentiment echoed by regular park user Pip Hinman.
“You have to listen to the community and just stop, don’t listen to the community and move on,” Hinman told the community ABC.
Newtown real estate agent Charles Bailey chaired the council meeting on behalf of Comedor owner Walter Shellshear, who was interstate.
He defended the site as a “bona fide addition” to the public park, adding that it employs 20 people and supplies business to local suppliers.