Not cooking with gas: Hospitality industry reacts to council gas ban

Chris Minns says the City of Sydney’s anti-gas crusade could “inadvertently push more people away from the public acceptance”, branding it as an “overstep”.

Nahji Chu, owner of Potts Point’s Lady Chu, says if council’s gas ban is expanded to existing restaurants she would be forced to close the acclaimed restaurant. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Businesses have urged the premier to intervene in Clover Moore’s “slippery slope” gas crackdown, which they fear could devastate the city’s restaurant scene.

The “all-electric” plan – which passed unanimously at a council meeting on Monday night – bans gas appliances and gas connections in new residential developments and limits food and beverage tenancies in new mixed-use developments to a single gas connection from December 31.

The objective of the plan is to “improve air quality” by removing indoor fossil fuel gas appliances such as gas cooktops, ovens and gas heaters. It will not apply to outdoor gas barbecues.

Business Sydney boss Paul Nicolaou said the council’s air quality concerns were unfounded and the policy could force new restaurants to open elsewhere.

“Councils should not be unilaterally applying their own DIY building standards separate from the state government,” Mr Nicolaou said.

“Banning gas connections across the board is a blunt instrument especially when the vast majority of homes, using modern, flued gas appliances with proper ventilation, can do so safely.”

Luke Mangan said he would prefer to use gas for cooking. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Planning and Public Spaces Minister Paul Scully said the state government was not looking to follow City of Sydney’s lead for the rest of the state.

“A statewide gas ban is not something the NSW Government is looking at,” he said.

“The City of Sydney Council ‘ban’ is not mandatory. I understand it is part of updates council is making to its development control plan (DCP) which provide guidance only.”

The DCP is a guideline and not legally binding, but the council does ultimately approve all development applications.

NSW Premier Chris Minns has labelled the City of Sydney’s gas crackdown an “overstep,” warning the ban could spark resistance to the renewable energy transition.

“I think that this may perhaps inadvertently push more people away from the public acceptance for this economic change than drive (them) towards it. So that’s what I’m concerned about,” Mr Minns said.

“We’re taking enormous steps when it comes to emissions in NSW, but part of it is bringing the community along with you…showing the public that things like gas on your stove top, as well as solar and batteries are all part of the future mix.

“I think (the decision) is an overstep by the City of Sydney.”

Pictured is Premier Chris Minns. Photo: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Potts Point restaurateur Nahji Chu, whose Lady Chu diner only uses gas for cooking, said while she supported the environmental impacts a move like this would have she worried it was the first step down a slippery slope.

“It doesn’t affect existing restaurants at the moment, but you have to think that eventually it will affect restaurateurs and God help us then,” she said.

Ms Chu said if the ban were to stretch to existing restaurants now, she would be forced to close her famous restaurant.

“You can’t do Asian cooking on induction woks,” she said.

“Many people have tried it. I have tried it and spent a lot of money trying it, and I lost a lot of money trying it. You just can’t get the regularity and the heat that you need.”

Siwilai Thai chef Nat Monjai said the food at the Surry Hills restaurant would be “totally different” if gas use was restricted.

“The smell comes from smoke,” he said. “With no more gas, no more Asian food.”

Gesturing to the streets of Surry Hills, he said “every shop will have the same answer”.

Mr Nicolaou, who has written to the lord mayor and premier about his concerns, told The Daily Telegraph he fully expected the council’s decision to make it harder for restaurants to open in Sydney.

Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore welcomed the new rules which would require new residential buildings, large commercial buildings and hotels in the City of Sydney to be all-electric by January 2027. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“Banning gas connections may suit a long-term emissions agenda, but in the short term it risks imposing major costs on small businesses and critical industries,” he said.

“From commercial kitchens to manufacturers, many rely on gas for its affordability, efficiency and reliability — and replacing it won’t be simple or cheap.”

Peak industry body the Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association said it was concerned the gas ban would expand in the future.

“Our worry is this will leak into any redevelopment or any new or any renovations of hospitality businesses and that the ordinance will be written in such a way that it also catches renovations and given the City of Sydney will control those development applications it is super important that council consults with the industry,” chief executive Wes Lambert said.

Acclaimed chef and restaurateur Luke Mangan’s kitchens have a hybrid arrangement with large ovens powered by electricity but stovetop cooking done on gas.

He believes households and restaurateurs should be given the choice as to whether they cook with gas or not.

“The emissions are something like 7 per cent, so I believe people should have a choice,” he said.

Paul Nicolaou, executive director at Business Sydney, said the council’s air quality concerns were unfounded and the no-gas policy could force new restaurants to open elsewhere. Picture: Supplied

“Gas is more efficient at home and then when you look at commercial businesses, payroll has gone up, rent has gone up, you have to look at the costs.”

Mr Mangan, who said he had never cooked a steak using electricity, said he would find ways to prevail with the new rules if he were to come up against them.

“It won’t affect my decision making because you work around those things, but I think myself and other people would prefer to use gas.”

A City of Sydney spokesperson said elements of the plan would be reviewed in a year.

“Research from the Global Cooksafe Coalition and Asian Australians for Climate Solutions shows that induction cooktops are a viable alternative in most situations,” the spokesperson said.

“Trends will change with new technologies, so the report includes a recommendation to review this aspect within a year of the controls commencing. “

The Victorian government announced a road map to gas substitution in 2023 which has been plagued with issues. On Tuesday it pushed back energy rules, that were to begin next year, to 2027.

- with Thomas Sargeant