Khanh Nguyen, the chef who delivered Melbourne not one but two boundary-pushing fine-diners in three years, departed Aru and Sunda at the weekend, suddenly announcing the move on social media. Today he said that he wants to spend more time with his partner and ageing parents, but that he will “definitely be running a kitchen” again soon.

Nguyen was executive chef of the two restaurants, and led Aru when it was named Restaurant of the Year by The Age Good Food Guide 2023.

His last service was on Saturday, July 1, according to a statement issued by the owner of the two restaurants, Adipoetra Halim, who also owns The Hotel Windsor.

Halim says that Nguyen and the group had been discussing his departure from Aru and Sunda since at least the start of the year.

However, Nguyen was central to the plans announced one month ago for the group’s next restaurant, Antara 128, an all-day brasserie and bakery that would be a playground for his fascination with bread and pastry.

Halim says Nguyen’s “personal plan changed obviously and we fully respect that”. The group claims Antara is still on track to open in the third quarter of 2023.

Nguyen opened Sunda on Punch Lane in 2018 with menus that combined South-East Asian ingredients and traditions with his fine-dining training, honed at Sydney venues including Bentley and Mr. Wong. A Vegemite curry with roti was an instant hit, while a contemporary take on an Indonesian benchmark, otak otak, showcased his technical prowess.

That playful mixing of culinary influences was rendered even more brightly at follow-up restaurant Aru, where Nguyen’s toolbox included a wood-fired hearth, dry-ageing cabinets, native Australian flavours and a newfound obsession with French pastry.

Aru was awarded two hats on opening in 2021 before taking home Restaurant of the Year at The Age Good Food Guide awards in Melbourne last November. Some of the restaurant’s dishes, such as duck sausage sangas and pâté en croute with flavours of banh mi, have quickly entered Melbourne’s culinary hall of fame.

Aru’s head chef Nico Koevoets will step into the top job at that venue, while Sunda will promote existing team member Marcus Dimabuyo to run the kitchen.

“Together with Khanh we have shared a great five years,” the Windsor Group’s statement reads.

“Working together side by side over that time is no small feat... We respect his decision to leave, and genuinely wish him the very best in his pursuits.”

Nguyen’s departure follows the June 24 dismantling of the entire team at Parcs, the group’s low-waste wine bar on Little Collins Street, with that venue closed while a new kitchen crew is appointed. Damien Neylon (ex-Brae) has also arrived recently as one of the group’s executive chefs.

Nguyen says all the changes are “just a coincidence... There’s nothing related between the reason why I’m leaving and why Parcs is closing.”

In a post on his own Instagram account, Nguyen said that he was leaving with a heavy heart.

“As I close this chapter, I am eager to script the unwritten pages that lie ahead. ‘Sometimes you have to let go of the life you planned to find the life that’s waiting for you’,” his post read, quoting American writer Joseph Campbell.

Nguyen thanked his teams in his Instagram post, pointing out that the success of the restaurants was equally shared between them.

This story was originally published on July 2 at 6.15pm and updated on July 3 at 5.o4pm