Sushi Hyo to open in Mackay’s Northern Beaches

It has teased tastebuds for months but now the most highly anticipated restaurant opening in the Northern Beaches is about to welcome its first customers. Find out why the delay, and what’s in store.

It has teased tastebuds and kept people talking, but now one of Rural View’s most anticipated restaurants is about to welcome diners for the first time.

Sushi Hyo will be the first sushi train to open in the booming Northern Beaches region, offering more than 100 menu items in Japanese and Korean fusion inspired food.

From the traditional Japanese cuisine of udon and ramen, made-to-order gyoza, sashimi and small plates to freshly-made sushi, the restaurant next to Mobil joins the newly opened Burrito Bar as the latest business to open at the centre.

Sushi Hyo partner Graham Lee said the restaurant could seat 50 people and diners must be double vaccinated.

Takeaway would be available for customers not double-vaccinated, he said.

Mr Lee said the long road to opening was compounded by staff shortages, with specially trained sushi chefs in short supply across Queensland because of Covid.

While eventually able to recruit enough chefs to open, Mr Lee said the company – whose brands also include Sushi Paradise and the former Sushi Kiyo – had gone to extremes to lure workers to Mackay.

“For all sushi (restaurants) it is really hard to find staff,” Mr Lee said.

“Many people went back to their country (during the pandemic) and many can’t come back.

“Our staff costs are high. We have to give free beachfront accommodation (at Mackay Harbour) to open this shop.

“And the wages are really high because they don’t want to work in a regional area.”

Mr Lee said Korean chefs were in demand to work in the company as they trained in the unique fusion methods of making sushi preferred by Australians, blending the Japanese style with a more moderate taste and style at Sushi Hyo restaurants.

“If we only focus on traditional Japanese, most Australians dislike it,” Mr Lee said.

But because of Covid and an international ban on those chefs returning to Australia, the company – and other sushi restaurants that served fusion cuisine – was struggling to keep staff.

It has meant the business must offer attractive accommodation and wage packages, but had also been forced to recruit from other sushi restaurants.

“Visas also expired and they had to go back home but now they can’t come back,” Mr Lee said.

The ‘opening soon’ signs will soon be replaced with ‘welcome’ signs. Picture: Tara Miko

There are nine chefs on staff, but Mr Lee said the restaurant needed more servers and kitchen-hands, with at least six jobs on offer at the store.

Mr Lee said bookings were not required.

Sushi Hyo will open at 11am Saturday, with last orders called at 8.30pm before a 9pm closing.

Those trading hours will also be in place Monday – Friday.

It will open at 11am Sunday, with last orders at 8pm and close at 8.30pm.

The restaurant will close over the Christmas period from December 24 to January 1, 2022, re-opening on January 2.