Auckland fine dining restaurant Clooney closing after 13 years

Wednesday, 7 August 2019

Clooney owner Tony Stewart cited health issues as one of the main reasons for closing the fine dining restaurant.

The closer of fine dining restaurant Clooney after 13 years marks the 'end of an era' a top celebrity chef says.

Clooney owner Tony Stewart, who was born with cystic fibrosis a life-limiting genetic condition mainly affecting the lungs and pancreas, will be packing his knives after a 30-year-long career in the hospitality industry.

The three-hatted restaurant (the Kiwi equivalent of the Michelin star accolade) will close its doors on October 13, the same day it opened in 2006. Clooney was one of only four restaurants that had earned three hats – the others being Cocoro, Kazuya in Auckland and Roots in Christchurch that also recently closed.

Award-winning chef and former My Kitchen Rules judge Ben Bayly said the news marked the 'end of an era' for the Auckland food scene.

Clooney Restaurant on Sale Street in Auckland's CBD is closing after 13 years.

* Clooney restaurant closes after stoush between owner and celebrity chef

* As posh restaurants close, insiders consider the future of fine dining**

Former My Kitchen Rules judge chef Ben Bayly likened being a fine dining chef to a top level athlete, like sport, the pressure of delivering on perfection wears them down.

Bayly, who also ran a hatted restaurant The Grove for several years, said he understood the pressure of running a fine dining restaurant.

'It's like being a top athlete, eventually it wears you down. The pressure is relentless. Especially after you win awards and earn recognition,' Bayly said.

Stewart said while the restaurant had become hard to manage, he looked forward to ensuring the last 10 weeks of operation would help end its run on a good note.

'I'm incredibly proud of the direction we've taken with Clooney and our dedication to kickstart important conversations around New Zealand ingredients and the need to get NZ food noticed,' Stewart said.

'I chose to build a restaurant that is heavily reliant on a hands-on style of leadership, one that leads by example, a style that has bought so much satisfaction to me over the years, but now, one that is very difficult to maintain.'

The dark interiors of three hatted restaurant Clooney.

A two-course menu at the fine dining restaurant starts at $90.

Bayly said fine dining required a higher level of intensity, long hours and great deal of commitment from staff.

'You're not just feeding people, you want them to be blown away,' Bayly said.

A regular customer visited a fine dining restaurant once or twice a year.

Bayly said it was great to see Stewart closing Clooney while he was still at the top

'I'm sure he's not done yet. He's been in the industry for so long, I'm sure he'll continue to be a part of it. I admire him a lot.'

Stewart said while the restaurant had seen many highs and it had also had its fair share of challenges.

The restaurant had gone through a rocky couple of years, briefly closing early last year following a stoush between Stewart and his then head chef, but reopened months later with a new chef and menu.

Stewart, who had been a fixture on the Auckland hospitality scene since he opened his first lounge bar in the 1990s, said he intended to stay in the industry in some capacity.