Bacchus to close in wake of chef's departure 

‘‘We were full to the brim, everyone was in a great mood, it was a really enjoyable night,’’ recalls Tim Montgomery, who, with co-head chef Thomas Robinson was plating up signature dishes including the Newcastle Tidal Pool, a selection of fish and sea vegetables foraged from the nearby coastline, as the fine wine flowed.

Among those savouring the exquisite, top-dollar dishes and opulent ambience at the old Mission Theatre building in King Street were former MasterChef contestant-turned-TV host Alice Zaslavsky and former Bacchus general manager Heather Moore.

‘‘It was fitting that she was there,’’ Montgomery recalls of his pal Moore, ‘‘because unbeknownst to us, it was our last night.’’

On Tuesday, Montgomery, Robinson and their team of about 10 were blindsided when Bacchus owner Matthew Higgins told them he was closing the venue that was last year ranked 43rd in industry bible Gourmet Traveller’s Hot 100 restaurants and snared two stars in its 2013 restaurant guide, where it is lauded as ‘‘Newcastle’s premiere big night out’’ eatery.

Two weeks earlier, Montgomery had told his boss of his intentions to leave after five heady years at the helm of the restaurant founded by Anthony Ventura in 2006.

Starting in 2009, the South Australian native reclaimed the restaurant’s coveted chef’s hat in the Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Food Guide within a year and, with the help of his team, has held on to it ever since.

Despite his own exit plan, Montgomery was shocked by that of Higgins, with whom he has enjoyed a good working relationship, and describes as fiercely private and a passionate epicure.

‘‘My resignation probably caused him to have a look at things and think, ‘Well, in the current climate, do I invest in another chef?’,’’ Montgomery said yesterday.

Mr Higgins did not return calls from The Herald but Montgomery dismissed speculation his former boss’s decision to call it quits was related to his lengthy Supreme Court legal stoush with Mr Ventura, from whom he bought a majority interest in Bacchus for $1million in 2008, over aspects of their soured hospitality partnership.

What Montgomery will concede is that a medley of industry woes – the economic pinch, diner demand for more affordable venues and a general slog to turn a profit – may have influenced Mr Higgins’s decision: ‘‘It’s harder to make good margins, people don’t want to spend money these days, it’s a definite factor.’’

Gavin Forman, head chef at the Old George and Dragon restaurant and executive chef at Fox Bar in Maitland and at Bocce Verde in Lorn, points to the collapse or restructuring of high-end Sydney dining destinations to explain Bacchus’s blues.

‘‘It started last year, we lost Bilson’s, the North group, Claudes –  I think it’s a trickle-on effect in the Hunter and it will end up as the last man standing,’’ he said.

Chris Thornton, head chef at Newcastle East’s one-hatted Restaurant Mason, agrees that making money in fine dining is ‘‘extremely hard’’.

He paid tribute yesterday to Bacchus, describing it as the ‘‘pinnacle of fine dining in Newcastle for a long time’’.

Suzie Pollak-Vincent, of hatted West End restaurant Subo, said Bacchus had long punched above its weight and been instrumental in luring her and chef husband Beau to Newcastle.

‘‘It just shows what key staff mean to a business in hospitality,’’ she said.

A spokesman for Bacchus site owner Bendlink Pty Ltd said yesterday he had been as shocked as everyone else by the sudden closure, but remained confident it would be re-leased quickly.

It is understood the five-year lease with Bacchus expires early next year.

‘‘Someone will take it. It’s too well fitted out and, if not fine dining, it has to go down to some type of dining that’s affordable,’’ the spokesman said.

For Montgomery, who is at pains to point out that all wedding events and functions booked at Bacchus will be honoured, it’s been a ‘‘shocking and sad week’’ but he’s pushing ahead with his new solo venture.

‘‘I don’t want to use the word catering. It will be specialist and small-scale business, with degustation and cooking classes.’’