Christchurch restaurant Bamboozle with 'racist' menu latest to close

Wednesday, 30 January 2019

Another two restaurants in Christchurch have closed. (Video first published in January 2019)

The closures follow a string of others in the city, as some hospitality operators struggle for survival.

Bamboozle, owned by veteran Christchurch restauranteur and chef Phillip Kraal, 'celebrated' its closing night with a $70 a head banquet on Saturday.

Kraal told his Facebook followers the challenges the restaurant faced were 'simply overwhelming'.

Chef Phillip Kraal's restaurant Bamboozle is down and out.

* Don't use racist stereotypes to sell food - race relations commissioner

* Restaurant review: Bamboozle, Christchurch has mediocre food and racist menu**

Phillip Kraal pictured before a charity fight.

The restaurant's menu, which included dishes such as 'chirri an garrik prawn dumpring' and 'suk sum teet', sparked charges of racism in January last year and prompted Kraal to start a review.

The menu had been in force for two years when it attracted the attention of The Press restaurant reviewer Alastair Paulin who highlighted what he regarded as puerile humour.

Christchurch restaurant Bamboozle's menu played on Asian accents.

Asked on Wednesday whether the controversy over the menu had affected the viability of the restaurant, an angry Kraal refused to comment.

'You're just vultures trying to sell newspapers. You should show some social responsibility… '

After a long struggle, fine dining restaurant St Germain has folded.

Kraal, who has participated in many charity events, previously owned restaurants Scarborough Fare in Sumner and Le Bon Bolli in Worcester St. He has recently opened an outlet in The Crossing selling Hawaiian lunch plates.

As the restaurant scene faces another tough year, up-market French restaurant St Germain has also closed, leaving debts of around $110,000 including $10,000 to employees and $24,000 GST.

The eatery, owned by brothers Frederic and Vincent Berhault and Ross Turner, moved from Merivale to new premises in St Asaph St in January 2017 spending about $200,000 on a fitout.

It was established on Worcester St in 2008.

The liquidator's report on the company behind the restaurant said it had been trading at a small loss when in Merivale but the losses 'increased significantly' after relocation.

An attempt to sell the restaurant was unsuccessful. Frederic Berhault had no comment on the closure.

Peter Morrison, president of the Canterbury branch of Hospitality NZ, said he expected a challenging year ahead for Christchurch restaurants.

Bamboozle and St Germain were well established restaurants and were not as vulnerable to changing shifts in restaurant and bar popularity, he said. He was sad to see them go.

'The summer has been fine but until we get the Convention Centre up and running it's going to be tough. It was a tough winter last year and we are going into a tough winter.'

The city simply needed more people visiting and this would come with the Convention Centre opening and the Metro Sports facility starting, he said.

The restaurant scene claimed a number of casualties last year including six restaurant companies run by chef Tony Astle who this month opened Chiwahwah in The Terrace.

Other hospitality businesses to close have included Tequila Mockingbird, Rockstar Pizza and Chinwag (run by Astle), Chopped, Canterbury Cheesemongers, The Good Goat, and Iconic Club and Bar. OGB, in Cathedral Square 'shelved' its fine dining restaurant but continues to run a restaurant service in its two bars. The Villas, a cafe/restaurant in Montreal St, closed at the end of July.