Laundy Hotels has opened its first-ever restaurant, Sinclair’s, at its recently rebuilt riverside Penrith venue, The Log Cabin.
Sinclair’s launch was two years in the making, plus a short delay due to the staff shortages, according to Laundy Hotels group executive chef Jamie Gannon.
“Team Laundy Hotels has created their first, and hopefully not their last, restaurant which everyone involved should be very proud of,” Gannon said in a social media post this week.
“A lot of people have worked very hard to get the restaurant to this point, working closely with local growers within a 50km radius to deliver a fresh and local product each time a dish hits the table.”
The Log Cabin, on the banks of the Nepean River in Sydney’s outer west, recently re-opened its doors after major rebuild.
The venue, which was established in 1826, was destroyed by a fire in 2012. In early 2020, the property was bought by Arthur Laundy and the Cottle family and local businessman Rob Wearn, and a greenfield $16m two-story build followed.
Downstairs features indoor and outdoor bar and dining spaces that include a large beer garden, a cocktail bar, a kids play area and water views.
Upstairs is the functions space, another bar, and Sinclair’s, a casual fine-dining restaurant featuring modern Australian cuisine and a charcoal grill that opened for business last week.
Sinclair’s has partnered with local producers from the Greater Nepean Region, according to Gannon, with a strong focus on fresh local ingredients.
“Sinclair’s is all about local produce. We are connected to local farmers and growers, and every item on menu except the steaks have one or two ingredients that are sourced from within 50km,” he said.
“This has been two years in the making, and we have visited each farm to connect with our local growers. The growers are really excited and involved and they love seeing their produce displayed in a way they don’t normally get to see.”
It’s the first restaurant to be launched by the group, Gannon says, with a second – a Mediterranean restaurant – to follow at the recently renovated Woolly Bay Hotel in Sydney’s Woolloomooloo.
“We had Arthur at Sinclair’s last Wednesday at the soft opening,” Gannon said. “He’s opened his first restaurant in his eighties, so he’s still kicking goals.”
According to Gannon, the last two to three years been seen a big shift by the group to grow its food offerings and revenues.
“We are investing in our food and getting good returns,” he says. “We have about 30 kitchens under our operation so that’s not a small undertaking by any means.”