Fine Dining Institution The French Café Is Changing Hands
The new owners boast two of Auckland's best restaurants.
After 20 years at the helm and an honour as one of the world's top ten restaurants, Creghan Molloy-Wright and Simon Wright are stepping aside from The French Café.
Fellow esteemed New Zealand restaurateurs Sid and Chand Sahrawat are set to take over the fine dining restaurant, adding another opening to their already impressive stable. Their acquisition of the Symonds Street dining institution comes off the back of a clean sweep at this year's Metro Restaurant of the Year Awards, where their restaurants Sidart and Cassia took top honours and runner-up, respectively.
The move comes in anticipation of a lifestyle change for Molloy-Wright and Wright, so they can spend more time together as a family and start planning their next venture.
The Sahrawats will take over The French Café in September, when it will be renamed Sid at The French Café. Sid will initially focus on the transition of Sid at The French Café, before eventually splitting his time between the trio of restaurants. Lesley Chandra, currently research and development chef for Sidart will assume the role of head chef at Sid at The French Café.
Changes are also afoot at Sidart where Sid will transition his discovery degustation menu into the country's first formal Indian degustation. Effective 31 July, the menu will still showcase New Zealand produce, but in a contemporary Indian format that will be a more precise execution of the cuisine offered at sister restaurant, Cassia.
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