La Cha Cha Cabana, formerly Fiery Deli, at The Kitchens in Robina Town Centre is in liquidation

A South American restaurant run by a popular local surfer and favoured by glamorous influencers has gone into liquidation owing more than $300,000.

A South American restaurant run by a popular local surfer and favoured by glamorous influencers has gone into liquidation owing more than $300,000.

La Cha Cha Cabana, which previously traded as Fiery Deli, operated upstairs at The Kitchens in Robina Town Centre, serving a menu of vibrant South American fare and cocktails.

It also operated a food truck, which was a popular fixture at markets and festivals throughout the region.

La Cha Cha Cabana, formerly known as Fiery Deli, is in liquidation.

The company behind it, Division Z, went into liquidation on February 23, with Andrew Weatherly of WCT Advisory appointed liquidator.

It is solely directed by Houston-born Varsity Lakes resident Eric Perez, 43, and jointly owned by Mr Perez and his wife Patrycja.

Mr Perez’s report to the liquidator said the company had debts of $313,430, including $143,992 to the tax office and $187,735 to the director.

Food suppliers made up the bulk of remaining unsecured creditors.

La Cha Cha Cabana, formerly known as Fiery Deli, is in liquidation.

The report said the company had $38,000 in cash, which was its only asset.

The Gold Coast Bulletin has contacted the owners and the liquidator for comment.

Over the years, its social media showed it was frequented by surfing stars such as Joel Parkinson and models including Jelena Markovic, Ariana Deeley, Katrina Paterson and Lauren McGeachin.

Love Island contestant Edyn Mackney was also been snapped at the venue.

Ariana Deeley.

Jelena Markovic.

Lauren McGeachin and Edyn Mackney.

The La Cha Cha Cabana saga follows the recent liquidation of well-known fine dining restaurant Gods of the Sea, which collapsed with debts topping $400,000 last month.

The Robina restaurant’s website said avid surfer Mr Perez and members of his family had travelled for years on a sailboat before settling in Australia, where they started Fiery Deli in 2016.

“We met amazing people who showed us their way of life, who taught us their way of preparing food, feeding their families and surviving ‍‍‍saw some incredible and remote places accessible only by boat & surfed some epic waves which we had all to ourselves (a bit different to surfing on the Gold Coast),” the site said.

La Cha Cha Cabana, formerly known as Fiery Deli, is in liquidation.

“It definitely wasn’t always smooth sailing, it was a LOOOOOOOOONG, slow and AMAZING journey, the route was always changing just like the weather, where we had not much but each other, we learnt a lot about a lot not to mention how to fish and be creative with the limited amount of food we had and it sure was great to finally reach this amazing country Australia where life has changed quite a bit!”

Originally published as La Cha Cha Cabana, formerly Fiery Deli, at The Kitchens in Robina Town Centre is in liquidation