Owner reveals why popular restaurant closed

Mackay diners have bid farewell to a popular riverside venue. THIS IS WHY IT CLOSED.

Ashtart Lebanese Cuisine and Bar. Bluewater Quay, Mackay

IT is a sad goodbye for one of Mackay's favourite dining venues as a popular Lebanese venture shut up shop on Saturday.

Mackay dentist Wael Assaf said he made the hard decision to close his passion project because of family and the cyclic battle of finding and training staff.

Dr Assaf opened Ashtart Mackay opened on the banks of the Pioneer River in 2018 with head chef Jeffrey Morad by his side.

Chef Jeffrey Morad and Wael Assaf, pictured with Dr Assaf's wife Lucille Assaf, will soon open Lebanese restaurant Ashtart at 10 River Street in Mackay city centre.

The modern Lebanese eatery was a dining concept Dr Assaf always wanted to explore.

But, the struggles of juggling a new baby, burgeoning restaurant, staffing, a dental clinic and family health problems became too much.

With no previous hospitality experience, Dr Assaf took the leap to open the venue and bring his dreams to life.

"It was something I always wanted to do," he said.

Dr Assaf said staffing turnover problems had plagued the restaurant since it opened.

He said training staff to understand the unusual cuisine offering did not often pay off with the high turnover rate in Mackay's hospitality industry.

Ashtart Lebanese Cuisine and Bar. Bluewater Quay, Mackay

Adding to this burden was a struggle most hospitality vendors know well.

Dr Assaf said while a steady stream of diners visited the venue he would not have been able support his family without his first venture Caneland Dental.

"If it was successful that would have been great, but I always said that, if it wasn't, it was still something I had always wanted to do," Dr Assaf said.

"Mackay is still quite slow, I would have liked to see more people through the door.

Walking away from the restaurant was a tough decision for the young family.

Dr Assaf said he wanted to thank the Mackay community for all its support during the venture.

Dr Assaf flew to the United States on Saturday to be with his father who is unwell.

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