Josh Lopez reveals heartbreaking reason for restaurant closure
Acclaimed Brisbane restaurant The Wolfe will close its doors, with chef-owner Josh Lopez revealing the devastating reason why
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TOP Queensland chef Josh Lopez has made the heartbreaking decision to close his Brisbane restaurant to spend more time with his terminally ill father.
Mr Lopez will shut his East Brisbane fine diner The Wolfe at the end of December, after his 65-year-old father was diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer.
“If COVID showed us anything, it’s how important family is,” Mr Lopez said, who runs the restaurant with his wife Krystal.
“Next year the first couple of months will just be concentrating on time with Dad – quality time – and I just can’t do that with Krystal and I working 60-70-hour weeks.”
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Mr Lopez said it was devastating to have to close the restaurant, which had been booking out weeks in advance for Saturday services, but with the lease up on the premises in January, it was the right time.
While the chef was sad to say goodbye to his staff and local suppliers, he said closing the restaurant would also enable him to spend more time with his children, Jemima, 9, and Ezekiel, 8.
“One thing that’s pulling on my [heart] strings at the moment is that my daughter plays basketball and this is her second season and I haven’t been to one game because they’re all on a Saturday. I’ve promised her that I’ll be there for the new season next year,” Mr Lopez said.
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Mr Lopez said he hoped to move into the retail space with some locally made food products, such as condiments using native Australian ingredients. He was also working on a couple of bricks and mortar concepts involving a more casual approach to dining, but was keeping mum on the exact details for now.
“I think mid-2021 there should be a bricks and mortar venue,” he said.
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