Botswana Butchery Melbourne enters voluntary administration after almost two years of trade

A high-end city steakhouse charging $390 for a main meal has shuttered —and it’s not the only restaurant to close for good.

Botswana Butchery has called for a lifeline after suffering financials woes.

High-end steakhouse Botswana Butchery is the latest Melbourne eatery to go bust this week, as more restaurant operators buckle under cost of living pressures.

Owners Good Group Australia appointed Sydney advisory firm BDO Australia on Tuesday to help navigate the business’ future.

The New Zealand hospitality outfit opened its first international restaurants in Melbourne and Sydney in 2022, launching its first Canberra outpost only two months ago.

Good Group Australia also own Chapel St restaurant Wong Baby and Chadstone’s White and Wongs.

White and Wongs was shut before administrators were appointed, while Wong

Baby is permanently closed.

Botswana Butchery has entered voluntary administration.

BDO Australia confirmed in a statement that Andrew Sallway and Duncan Clubb had been appointed as voluntary administrators Good Group Australia and its subsidiaries on 31 March.

“The voluntary administration does not affect the New Zealand operations of the Good Group,” the statement read.

“The administrators are undertaking an urgent assessment of the companies and if possible,

intend to continue trade with a view of facilitating a restructure or going concern sale process

in due course.”

“The administrators will continue to work closely with Good Group Australia’s directors,

management, staff, and creditors.”

Botswana Butchery Melbourne shared on social media it wouldn’t trade over the recent Easter long weekend, but was reopening Tuesday.

The move comes as another Chadstone venue, Mama’s Buoi, also called in administrators this week.

The first meeting of creditors was held on Wednesday night.

Stalwart modern Asian restaurant Ginger Boy also closed after 18 years this week, with owner and chef Teage Ezard coming to the decision after facing the “perfect storm” of problems.

“It was a mixture of low spending diners — if there were any at the restaurant — and rising cost of food and beverages,” he said.

“Covid was good to us as we were actually making some coin. Ever since it’s finished, it’s gone down from there. It’s been a long and slow road and we’ve never recovered.”