MasterChef Australia judge’s restaurant empire collapses. The restaurant empire of former Australian MasterChef judge George Calombaris was placed into voluntary administration on Monday. This happened a year after the wages scandal at his eateries and his exit from the globally popular show. The recent decision will now give the power to the administration to decide the future of the business.
MAdE Establishment has been ordered to pay $200,000 for underpaying staff over $7.8 million for a long time under an Enforceable Undertaking (EU) with the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO).
Calombaris took to his Instagram account and shared the sad news with fans. He expressed deep sadness and regret over a move which hands control of the MAdE Establishment restaurant group to administrators, who will now decide the future of the business.
“I am so sorry all our collective efforts have not proved to be enough. I’m gutted that it’s come to this,” Calombaris wrote.
Check out his emotional post here,
Last year Calombaris was fined for underpaying staff at several of his restaurants by millions of Australian dollars. According to reports, the hospitality empire was revealed in July 2019 to have an underpaid staff to the tune of $7.8 million. The celebrity judge along fellow judges Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston has also stepped down from the MasterChef Australia TV show, which had become a cult hit around the world.
George Calombaris had founded the Melbourne based empire that operated 18 venues. The former judge has also sold off his mansion nestled in the Melbourne suburbs of Torak. He and his wife have reportedly sold their holiday home on the Mornington Peninsula.
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