Sidart Restaurant Closes: Chef Lesley Chandra Reflects on Impact

Auckland’s acclaimed restaurant Sidart has officially closed its doors, signaling the end of an era for fine dining in the city. Owner and chef Lesley Chandra announced the closure in a heartfelt Facebook post, expressing gratitude for the support and memories shared over the years. “After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close Sidart effective immediately,” Chandra wrote.

In an interview with RNZ, Chandra revealed that the decision to close was made two weeks prior, with Sidart serving its final guests on Saturday night. The closure stems from financial pressures related to the expiration of the restaurant’s lease and its subsequent entry into liquidation.

Founded in 2009 by restaurateurs Sid and Chand Sahrawat, Sidart quickly established itself as a benchmark for modern fine dining in Auckland. In 2019, it was awarded the prestigious Restaurant of the Year title by the Cuisine Good Food Awards. Chandra, who had previously worked alongside the Sahrawats at other renowned establishments, took ownership of Sidart in 2021, just before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Reflecting on his experience, Chandra stated, “Doing takeaways as a fine dining restaurant wasn’t my thing. It was a good learning experience—something different. We had lots of fun with it.” He shared how moving from Fiji to Auckland at age ten and owning Sidart was a dream fulfilled, yet its closure carries a heavy emotional weight.

“As a chef, it feels like a failure. Your confidence and your ego get damaged a bit, but that’s something to get over and learn from,” Chandra noted. He emphasized the need to remain strong for his family during this challenging time.

Despite the setback, Chandra remains optimistic about his future. He plans to take some time off to regroup before considering his next steps. “This is learning from my mistakes—maybe next time doing it in a different way,” he remarked.

Sidart’s closure adds to a growing list of iconic establishments on Ponsonby Road that have recently shut down. Notable closures include SPQR, which ended its 30-year run last year, and Ponsonby Road Bistro, which closed after 18 years of operation. Earlier this year, the Sahrawats also sold their tandoor-inspired restaurant KOL to new owners Ruchi and Sapan Parikh.

In a statement to RNZ, the Sahrawats expressed their sadness over the closure: “We are deeply saddened to see Sidart close its doors. The past couple of years have been tough for all hospitality operators, and our hearts go out to Lesley and his team—they worked extremely hard to keep the doors open.”

The closure of Sidart represents more than just the end of a restaurant; it marks the loss of a cherished dining experience for many in Auckland. As the restaurant landscape continues to shift, Chandra’s reflections on resilience and learning from challenges resonate deeply within the hospitality community.