Owners of sushi pizza joint blame wages for restaurant’s failure

A restaurant that fused sushi and pizza has gone bust. But the owners are copping it for saying their bizarre food wasn’t the problem.

A Sydney restaurant that fused sushi and pizza together has gone into liquidation — and the owners are copping it after they said their bizarre food wasn’t the problem.

Those booking a table at Sash Japanese Sydney, in Surry Hills, are rocking up to see the “new age Japanese Fusion” restaurant’s doors permanently closed — just three months after it opened.

Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald, directors Kyle Stagoll and Dave Nelson revealed they accumulated debts of $436,000 in those three months.

They blamed high rent and the increasing tendency of customers to eat in, spurred on by cold weather and UberEats.

Sash Japanese Sydney blended sushi and pizza together. Picture: Rebecca Michael

However, they are copping a roasting on social media for blaming hospitality wages for the for restaurant’s failure.

“Most of our competitors who have been successful over the past few years have been paying staff under the award rate, it seems the only way venues can stay ahead,” Mr Stagoll told the Herald.

“Does that mean hospo workers are drastically over paid for the value they produce for a business? Probably.”

The current minimum wage for restaurant workers ranges from $19.49 to $24.77 per hour, depending upon their level of training and duties. The minimum wage across Australia is $19.49, having been increased by three per cent on July 1.

Mr Stagoll’s comments have not been well received by many in the world of social media. Many suggested it may have been the combination of raw fish and pizza that turned customers off.

- Actually illegal to pay under award minimums.
- not the workers fault if you didn't account for paying award wages in your stupid fucking sushi pizza restaurant.
- white ppl fusion sucks.
- I hope the cops arrest your friends.

— Kara Schlegl (@karaschlegl) July 28, 2019

They closed the sushi place
They closed the pizza place
They closed the combination sushi-pizza place

— chris (@garflyf) July 28, 2019

If you create a sushi-pizza restaurant then frankly it deserves to go bust

— reggaeton enthusiast (@mathaiaus) July 28, 2019

"Surry Hills sushi-pizza restaurant Sash has been placed into liquidation with debts of $436,000, three months after opening, with the founders blaming high wages, high rents, a slowdown in consumer spending, UberEats, and everything except themselves."

— Colourful Local Identity (@GordyPls) July 28, 2019

If you start a business in an industry famous for wafer thin margins a cost structure made up mostly of wages, where all your competitors will be ripping their staff off, maybe you need a better dining concept than ‘sushi pizza’

— postsmaster general (@maxuthink) July 28, 2019