Latest news with #Thornbury
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Australia's most acid-tongued food critic gloats after viral restaurant that blacklisted him collapses
Veteran food critic John Lethlean has joked he was 'shattered' to learn a Melbourne restaurant whose owner once blacklisted him has entered administration. Iconic Thornbury Italian venue 1800 Lasagne this month entered into voluntary administration - five years after its owner John Kellock set up shop on High Street. In a post to social media on Tuesday, the hatted restaurant shared a 'heartfelt message' advising it would restructure while remaining open for service, the latest addition to the many casualties of Melbourne's embattled hospitality sector. It was a sombre update for the city's lasagne lovers - the restaurant had become extremely popular during Covid for it's late-night home delivery. Lethlean was among those who claimed to be heartbroken by the news, though his sincerity seemed tongue-in-cheek, given the fact he was barred from the restaurant over a controversial food review. 'Shattered by the news the company behind 1800 Lasagne has gone into administration,' he wrote to Instagram. Alongside the post, he shared an image of a coaster printed by the restaurant in 2023 reading: 'Management reserves the right to refuse entry to John Lethlean'. 1800 Lasagne had printed the coasters in response to an Instagram post by Lethlean promoting a review he wrote for food magazine Delicious on Perth restaurant Shui. The review caused widespread backlash. 'The maitre d'/meet and greeter wears an outfit that threatens to expose more than just her inexperience when she bends over to set a table,' Lethlean had written. It immediately landed him in hot water - with prominent critics deriding his language as inappropriate, including Mr Kellock, 1800 Lasagne's owner. 'I would protect my staff to the death from someone who was commenting on what they were wearing,' Mr Kellock told the Sydney Morning Herald's CBD column. 'He [Lethlean] wasn't reading the room, he wasn't in the room, he wasn't even in the house that the room is in, he's so far out of touch.' The long-time reviewer for The Australian apologised for causing offence before doubling-down, claiming his testimony was appropriately unflinching. 'Restaurant reviewing is about observation, commentary and the reader. I conveyed what I observed,' he told the newspaper. 'I don't write for the industry, I write for consumers, and if a few of the so-called journalists in this space did the same, they might have long careers too.' With more than two decades writing for major Australian newspapers and magazines, Lethlean has seen countless restaurants come and go. 1800 Lasagne has entered into voluntary administration five years after its owner John Kellock (pictured) set up shop on High Street His one-star review of legendary chef Cheong Liew's The Grange in 2008 contributed to its closure the following year. Lethlean also didn't hold back when the famed King Island Dairy announced it's closure last year. 'The cheeses have always been rubbish and this so-called brie I have here… completely devoid of any character whatsoever unless all you're looking for in a soft, white mould cheese is industrial salt,' he wrote. It's hardly surprising, then, his sympathy would be in short supply for one whose owner was happy enough to wade into a controversy of his own. In 2021, as lockdowns put swathes of the country's hospitality sector on ice, Lethlean wrote for The Australian that lasagne had emerged as the era-defining food. 'One Melbourne home-delivery lasagne guy, 1800 Lasagne, did so well last year that he's now got the readies to go bricks-and-mortar with his own lasagne-dedicated restaurant,' he wrote. He closed with a prayer that lasagne wouldn't become the 'dish that defines the whole decade' and, with the update from High Street, it seems it may have been answered. It is not clear what precipitated 1800 Lasagne's entry into voluntary administration, but it said its trading hours and delivery options remained unchanged. '1800 Lasagne has always been about people, passion, and plates of love - and that hasn't changed,' it said. 'We're grateful for the support of our incredible community and encourage everyone to keep showing love and support to local hospitality.'
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Popular hatted Aussie restaurant where Jamie Oliver dined collapses
A Melbourne restaurant that counts celebrity chef Jamie Oliver among its clientele has entered into voluntary administration. 1800 Lasagne, a popular restaurant in the suburb of Thornbury, has confirmed that it has been taken over by external administrators, effective from the new financial year. The sad news about the restaurant was shared in a heartfelt message to its Instagram account on August 5. '1800 Lasagne has entered into voluntary administration and we are working closely with the administration team to streamline and re-structure our model to ensure we take the best steps while moving forward,' the update read. 'Our loyal suppliers and our beloved staff are and will continue to be our highest priority through this process.' The restaurant was originally started as a lasagne-delivery service during the pandemic by founder, Joey Kellock. It was later opened as a restaurant in its current location on High Street. During its heyday in 2023, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver was among those who visited the Melbourne Italian dining establishment. The British celebrity chef, who was at the time filming the 16th season of MasterChef Australia, was full of praise for the lasagne eatery. Jamie described it as a place where the 'jazz was playing, the wine was flowing' and noted that there was a 'nice energy with the staff'. That same year, 1800 Lasagne earned a coveted chef's hat in the Good Food guide - becoming the first ever 'hatted' lasagne restaurant. But in a promising sign for diners, the restaurant isn't currently being closed altogether. Rather, its operations will now fall under the management of accounting advisory group HLB Mann Judd, who were appointed as external administrators as of July 30. The restaurant's trading hours and delivery service also remain unchanged. '1800 Lasagne has always been about people, passion and plates of love - and that hasn't changed,' the recent update confirmed. 'We absolutely cherish our place in the community and will be striving to continue serving you. So, please come and visit our incredible staff for dinner, takeaway, or a drink at the bar and help us get through this exciting but challenging time.' In an added assurance that it's 'business as usual' from the customer's perspective, a subsequent Instagram post confirmed the restaurant was open and operating. Sharing a picture of a dining table loaded up with plates of lasagne and garlic bread, the caption confirmed that they were indeed open for bookings, walk-ins, takeaway and delivery. 1800 Lasagne is famed for its focused menu centred around lasagne. Their two signature dishes are the Lasagne Di Carne, which features a meaty bolognaise of minced beef and pork, and a vegetarian Lasagne Di Melanzane, based on eggplant. Both are priced at $32. Other main pasta dishes on the menu include Spaghetti Napoli $25, Rigatoni $36, which is served with a beef shank ragu, and Pipe Rigate, $35, which features Queensland Tiger prawns.
News.com.au
05-08-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Beloved Melbourne restaurant 1800 Lasagne enters into voluntary administration
Melbourne's first 'hatted' lasagne restaurant, 1800 Lasagne, has collapsed into voluntary administration. Todd Gammel and Matthew Levesque-Hocking of accounting advisory group HLB Mann Judd were appointed as external administrators on July 30. The beloved Thornbury restaurant, which began as a lasagne-delivery service out of founder Joey Kellock's home during the pandemic, shared the news in a 'heartfelt message to our amazing staff, suppliers and loyal community' on Tuesday. '1800 Lasagne has entered into voluntary administration and we are working closely with the administration team to streamline and re-structure our model to ensure we take the best steps while moving forward,' an Instagram post read. 'Our loyal suppliers and our beloved staff are and will continue to be our highest priority through this process. '1800 Lasagne has always been about people, passion and plates of love – and that hasn't changed. 'We're grateful for the support of our incredible community and encourage everyone to keep showing love and support to local hospitality. 'We absolutely cherish our place in the community and will be striving to continue serving you. So, please come and visit our incredible staff for dinner, takeaway, or a drink at the bar and help us get through this exciting but challenging time. Big love.' Among 1800 Lasagne's patrons is celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who dined there in 2023 while filming season 16 of MasterChef and said at the time that 'jazz was playing, the wine was flowing' and there was 'nice energy with the staff'. That same year, the restaurant earned a coveted chef's hat from Nine Newspapers' Good Food. The future of Mr Kellock's other two venues – live-music bar Dopolavoro and sandwich shop Cinque, both on Northcote's High Street, which were originally slated to open in 2023 – is unclear. 1800 Lasagne's administrators told SmartCompany on Tuesday that a combination of under-capitalism and cost-of-living pressures 'led to trading losses, failed expansion plans, historical tax liabilities and an inability to fund the costs of restructure' for the restaurant. '(We) understand the Director and shareholders have a restructure plan that they are also exploring,' the administrators said. The restaurant's trading hours and delivery service remain unchanged.
News.com.au
05-08-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Pandemic-born, award-winning Melbourne Italian restaurant enters administration
An award-winning Melbourne restaurant which began as a delivery service during lockdown has gone bust. 1800 Lasagne graduated to a physical store in August 2020, winning a cult following, awards, and the patronage of Jamie Oliver in the inner-north suburb of Thornbury. But external administrators have now been called in, and the business may be wound up, sold, or picked apart by people owed money. '1800 Lasagne has entered into voluntary administration and we are working closely with the administration team to streamline and restructure our model to ensure we take the best steps while moving forward,' owner Joey Kellock posted online on Tuesday. 'Our loyal suppliers and our beloved staff will continue to be our highest priority through this process. 1800 Lasagne has always been about people, passion and plates of love – and that hasn't changed.' The restaurant will still be open for the time being. 'We're grateful for the support of our incredible community and encourage everyone to keep showing love and support to local hospitality,' Mr Kellock said. 'We absolutely cherish our place in the community and will be striving to continue serving you. 'So, please come and visit our incredible staff for dinner, takeaway, or a drink at the bar and help us get through this exciting but challenging time. Big love xxx.' Mr Kellock created the business as a home delivery service during Victoria's lengthy pandemic lockdowns, cooking in his home kitchen. The business grew and in August 2020 Mr Kellock opened a physical restaurant on Thornbury's High Street. The eatery won a chef's hat award in 2023. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver ate there with his family later that year. The restaurant's cult status grew to the point where they were selling limited edition, retro inspired soccer jerseys. The popularity has evidently not parlayed into profitability, as an accounting firm has now been tasked to comb through the books. External administrator HLB Mann Judd has called the first meeting of creditors for next week. Commenters seem confused at the business' financial troubles, but many people online are acknowledging how tight margins are for small businesses. 'How? Been there many times during the week and on weekends and it was always absolutely packed, flipping tables two or three times a night,' one commenter said online.
Daily Mail
27-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Equality street! The suburban road where identical homes on one side are 'worth £100k more' than the other
Homeowners have called on Royal Mail to adopt the postcode of a neighbouring suburb where average house prices are significantly higher. A cluster of locals in Thornbury, a Bradford suburb straddling the city's eastern edge, have launched a bold bid to trade in their postcode to increase their house prices by £100k. They say they are being 'penalised' by having the city's undesired BD3 postcode despite technically falling in the council jurisdiction of neighbouring Leeds. Instead, they want to adopt the LS28 postcode of Pudsey, which carries a more desirable reputation. But neighbours on Gain Lane, the vast majority of whom are covered by Bradford council, have branded the move 'snobbish' and a thinly veiled attempt to 'pretend they don't live where they do.' One resident, firmly living in the BD3 postcode plagued by high crime rates, said: 'They're desperate to keep up appearances. 'Just because you buy a few hanging baskets and call your house 'The Willows' doesn't mean you live in Pudsey or Leeds. 'You're still in Bradford at the end of the day.' Bradford's BD3 postcode covers some of the city's most troubled and poverty-stricken communities. It ranks among the worst postcodes in the country related to car theft and dangerous driving offences. Whereas the neighbouring LS28 postcode covers the gentrified Leeds suburbs of Farsley, Calverley and Pudsey - represented in parliament by chancellor Rachel Reeves. House prices in the well-heeled commuter hubs are tens of thousands of pounds higher than in Bradford. Campaigners say they are being unfairly punished for having a BD3 suffix, despite technically falling under Leeds City Council's jurisdiction. They say that they are having to pay out for higher car and home insurance policies as a consequence, while also having to ensure deflated house prices. Lynda Berry, 59, admitted she wanted the LS28 postcode because it was 'posher'. She said: 'We're paying more in council tax and then getting hit again with higher car and home insurance. 'And we don't even get the benefits of being in Leeds, even though we technically are. 'It's frustrating. I understand there has to be a border somewhere, but we're getting penalised for being in BD3.' Russell Robinson, 69, who has lived in the area for over six decades, says the postcode saga has dragged on for years - despite multiple attempts to get it changed. He said: 'If you're in BD3, you're paying hundreds more for car insurance because it's one of the worst postcodes in the country for car crime and bad driving. 'When I used to go to an insurance broker, they'd look at my postcode and say, 'If you lived in LS28, it'd be £200 cheaper.' 'For my Freelander I have to pay £595, fully comprehensive. For my other Defender quite a few companies wouldn't insure it all. 'It's not like I'm going Trans-European or up mountains in it. It's just the Bradford postcode.' Mr Robinson, a retired council worker, revealed that when he sold his father's house - which also technically fell under Leeds but still carried a Bradford postcode - it sold for less than equivalent houses with an LS28 address. He said: 'We got £190,000 for it, something like that. It was a well-built stone house. 'They're paying £200,000 for much less in Pudsey - small gardens, one car on the drive. 'It's just the LS postcode.' According to Rightmove data, house prices in BD3 had an overall average of £120,323 over the last year. In leafier LS28, the average was £262,061 over the last year. Gurvinder Singh, 59, has lived in Gain Lane since 1989. He said he had pleaded with the council to swap his postcode to Leeds. He said: 'Our house prices are low. Our insurance is high. 'There a difference of around £100,000. If our house was in LS28 it would go for £260,000. Here there's a limit of about £160,000. 'Because of BD3, the prices are not high. We keep spending money on the house but we're not going to get the full benefit.' Asked if he tells people he is from Leeds or Bradford, Mr Singh, who works for Bradford-based baker Hovis, added: 'Leeds. Sorry to say, but Leeds. 'Bradford has a very bad reputation, especially BD3. 'I've caught drug dealers right outside the front of my house. I've had drugs thrown in my garden during a police chase. 'LS28 is like a different world. It's much better. The people are sensible, there are no idiot drivers on that side.' One resident further down Gain Lane, firmly within Bradford Council's boundaries, said the campaign was 'classist'. The woman, who would not be named for fear of riling neighbours, said: 'My house is in Bradford and I'm proud to be from Bradford. 'I think it's people trying to pretend they don't live where they do, to make them look and feel better. 'It's still Bradford, love.' Priyan Welikandu, 56, said his car insurance premiums had soared simply because of the BD3 postcode - despite paying all his bills to Leeds. He said: 'The car insurance is very high for no real reason. I've had this smaller car for 20 years, no claims, no accidents - and I'm still paying £700 a year. 'They told me it's because of the BD3 postcode. It should be around £300 or £400, but they said nothing counts for anything in BD3.' Mr Welikandu admitted he tells people he is from Pudsey, not Bradford. He added: 'If I say to my work colleagues, Bradford, they get the wrong idea - like it's dodgy. Pudsey is a bit more civilised.' The postcode lottery has also hit businesses landed with a BD3 postcode, despite administratively falling in Leeds. Mohammed Saqid, 20, who runs the Shandar takeawy on Gain Lane, said his business insurance premium had risen to £10,000. He said: 'If this was LS28 it would be £2,500. So having a Bradford postcode is four times more expensive for us. 'We pay our rates to Leeds council, we're right by the sign that says 'welcome to Pudsey'. It doesn't make any sense to us.' Conservative local councillors have backed the residents in their attempts to be reclassified by Royal Mail. Councillor Andrew Carter said: 'I am supporting local residents, and they are in contact with Royal Mail. Every possible obstacle has been put in the way of progress. Residents want to be in LS28 and they are right.' Cllr Craig Timmins said the postcode had also caused confusion for emergency services and council services. He added: 'These streets are an important part of our community and should be able to identify that way with their postcode, instead of constantly being frustrated by it.' Royal Mail said postcodes are designed to support deliveries, not to reflect geographies. A spokesperson said: 'Postcodes are designed to support the efficient sorting and delivery of mail, not to reflect geographic or administrative boundaries. Each one is based on the delivery route and the local delivery office, which means the postcode may not always match the actual geographic identity of the area. 'We have previously reviewed the arrangements and given the structure of the local network and the needs of the nearby delivery office, we do not believe a change is appropriate for our operations. 'It is important to note that postcodes typically cover groups of addresses delivered together.
