George Calombaris leases Toorak mansion, Bennett and West list
George Calombaris has abandoned plans to sell his Toorak mansion, going down a different route, as another celebrity chef serves up his own mansion for sale in the exclusive suburb.
George Calombaris has thrown out plans to sell his Toorak mansion, leasing it instead, while fellow celebrity chef Shannon Bennett has reportedly listed his own pile in the exclusive suburb.
Former MasterChef judge Calombaris put his five-bedroom French provincial-style home on the market last month, in the wake of the collapse of his restaurant business, MAdE Establishment Group.
But listing agency Kay & Burton confirmed it had since been leased instead.
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Shannon Bennett, Madeleine West paid about $16m for mansion
The agency wouldn’t comment on the price it had been rented for. But five-bedroom houses are on the Toorak rental market for as much as $4000 per week.
The property is in the name of Calombaris’s wife, Natalie Tricarico, with CoreLogic records showing it last sold for $4.75 million in 2013.
The chef also sold his Safety Beach holiday house for $1.01 million on Australia Day.
Creditors owed money from the collapse of MAdE Establishment voted on Tuesday to liquidate the 22 businesses that made up his restaurant empire, putting the final nail in its coffin.
Meanwhile, multiple industry sources have confirmed Bennett and his actor ex-partner, Madeleine West, are quietly seeking an off-market deal for their four-level, five-bedroom Lansell Rd house.
One told the Herald Sun he understood Bennett was seeking more than the $16 million he and West shelled out for it.
“But he’ll be lucky to get what he paid for it,” the source said.
It’s understood Kay & Burton’s Ross Savas has the listing, but Mr Savas and Bennett did not respond to the Herald Sun’s requests for comment.
Bennett and West bought the property in September 2017, CoreLogic records show, but later moved to Byron Bay.
The owner of eateries including Vue De Monde and the Playing for Keeps star first announced the end of their 15-year relationship in September 2018, and have been on and off since.
Bennett’s takeaway venture Benny Burgers was put into voluntary administration late last year, after collapsing with debts of $170,000.
His and West’s Toorak home sprawls across a landscaped 1514sq m block with a pool and spa on one of Melbourne’s most prestigious streets.
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When the pair bought the mansion from hotelier and pub baron Mazen Tabet, it featured multiple living areas, a large kitchen with Miele appliances and a butler’s pantry, five bedrooms, four ensuites plus a family bathroom, a rooftop terrace with city views, and a lift.
Bennett and West — who have six children together — have made several property plays in recent years.
Shortly after buying the Toorak property, they listed a South Yarra mansion they’d spectacularly renovated, with a $7-$7.7 million price guide. It sold for $9.78 million in November 2017, CoreLogic records show.
They pair also offloaded a luxe Lorne beach house for more than $4 million in October 2018.
Originally published as George Calombaris leases Toorak mansion, Bennett and West list