Melbourne restaurant incident with Dan Andrews: you won't believe how awkward it got!
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The Covid-19 pandemic tested the limits of many industries, but few were hit as hard as the hospitality sector. The strict measures and long lockdowns in Victoria left a lasting impact on both business owners and their relationships within the community.
This article sheds light on one instance that encapsulates the tension between government leadership and the hospitality industry.
Former Victorian Premier Dan Andrews and his wife faced refusals when attempting to book tables at popular Melbourne restaurants during the Covid pandemic, a move seen as a form of protest by the city's hospitality sector against his strict lockdown measures.
Restaurateur Chris Lucas revealed that when Cath Andrews called to reserve a spot at Hawker Hall, his restaurant in Melbourne’s southeast, he responded, 'Sorry, it's not available.' He also noted that Di Stasio, another renowned Melbourne eatery outside his group, denied Mr Andrews a booking for his birthday around the same period.
Both Lucas and Rinaldo Di Stasio, owner of Di Stasio, were vocal critics of Andrews’ tough Covid policies, which led to Melbourne enduring the longest lockdowns globally and severely impacting its once-thriving hospitality scene.
Lucas said, 'He's got his own cross to bear but we're allowed to disagree right? We live in a democracy.'
When Andrews announced in late 2020 his decision to extend Victoria’s state of emergency by 12 months, Lucas called it 'catastrophic' and described the move as if Andrews had 'dropped a bomb'.
He also stated, 'He's treating us like fools, quite frankly. I don't think the Premier has any sensitivity or compassion and if he does he is certainly not exhibiting it.'
Lucas, who leads the LUCAS Group—owner of Melbourne dining staples like Grill Americano, Kisumé, Society, and Chin Chin—further criticised the premier’s handling of the pandemic, saying, 'To simply come out and demand that he wants these powers given to him in an unprecedented form, it just smacks of insensitivity. Quite frankly we're sick of it.'
Lucas added in 2022 that 'We are a shadow of the industry that we were before Covid.'
He described the two years of lockdowns as not just financially destructive but also emotionally taxing, leaving lasting scars on the city.
Di Stasio also took a stand against Andrews, placing a full-page ad in The Australian in late 2020. In the ad, he accused both the Andrews government and the then Scott Morrison-led federal government of neglecting the hospitality industry, warning that it would be 'cripple[d]' without support.
'The neglect of temporary visa workers, skilled taxpaying members of our workforce is not only shameful, it will cripple hospitality and tourism moving forward,' Di Stasio wrote
.
Di Stasio expressed concern over the future of his industry, fearing 'total ruin' and lamenting that 'political agendas had failed us.' He concluded with an appeal: 'I invite our leaders and you to come to the table and make a positive contribution.' \
The hospitality industry wasn’t the only place to express resentment towards Andrews. Last year, members of the exclusive National Golf Club on the Mornington Peninsula collectively blocked him from joining.
A letter addressed to the club committee stated that over 100 members had 'expressed a clear stance against' Andrews’ potential membership.
'I seek assurances for myself and fellow members that should Daniel Andrews express interest in joining the National Golf Club that his application would undergo the standard membership approval process,' the letter from the golf club read.
Andrews, who served as Victorian Premier for a decade, stepped down in late 2023 and has since taken on a new role at Orygen, a mental health organisation.
The pandemic has left many questioning the balance between public health and economic impact. Do you think the treatment of Dan Andrews by the hospitality industry was justified? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
This article sheds light on one instance that encapsulates the tension between government leadership and the hospitality industry.
Former Victorian Premier Dan Andrews and his wife faced refusals when attempting to book tables at popular Melbourne restaurants during the Covid pandemic, a move seen as a form of protest by the city's hospitality sector against his strict lockdown measures.
Restaurateur Chris Lucas revealed that when Cath Andrews called to reserve a spot at Hawker Hall, his restaurant in Melbourne’s southeast, he responded, 'Sorry, it's not available.' He also noted that Di Stasio, another renowned Melbourne eatery outside his group, denied Mr Andrews a booking for his birthday around the same period.
Both Lucas and Rinaldo Di Stasio, owner of Di Stasio, were vocal critics of Andrews’ tough Covid policies, which led to Melbourne enduring the longest lockdowns globally and severely impacting its once-thriving hospitality scene.
Lucas said, 'He's got his own cross to bear but we're allowed to disagree right? We live in a democracy.'
When Andrews announced in late 2020 his decision to extend Victoria’s state of emergency by 12 months, Lucas called it 'catastrophic' and described the move as if Andrews had 'dropped a bomb'.
He also stated, 'He's treating us like fools, quite frankly. I don't think the Premier has any sensitivity or compassion and if he does he is certainly not exhibiting it.'
Lucas, who leads the LUCAS Group—owner of Melbourne dining staples like Grill Americano, Kisumé, Society, and Chin Chin—further criticised the premier’s handling of the pandemic, saying, 'To simply come out and demand that he wants these powers given to him in an unprecedented form, it just smacks of insensitivity. Quite frankly we're sick of it.'
Lucas added in 2022 that 'We are a shadow of the industry that we were before Covid.'
He described the two years of lockdowns as not just financially destructive but also emotionally taxing, leaving lasting scars on the city.
Di Stasio also took a stand against Andrews, placing a full-page ad in The Australian in late 2020. In the ad, he accused both the Andrews government and the then Scott Morrison-led federal government of neglecting the hospitality industry, warning that it would be 'cripple[d]' without support.
'The neglect of temporary visa workers, skilled taxpaying members of our workforce is not only shameful, it will cripple hospitality and tourism moving forward,' Di Stasio wrote
.
Di Stasio expressed concern over the future of his industry, fearing 'total ruin' and lamenting that 'political agendas had failed us.' He concluded with an appeal: 'I invite our leaders and you to come to the table and make a positive contribution.' \
The hospitality industry wasn’t the only place to express resentment towards Andrews. Last year, members of the exclusive National Golf Club on the Mornington Peninsula collectively blocked him from joining.
A letter addressed to the club committee stated that over 100 members had 'expressed a clear stance against' Andrews’ potential membership.
'I seek assurances for myself and fellow members that should Daniel Andrews express interest in joining the National Golf Club that his application would undergo the standard membership approval process,' the letter from the golf club read.
Andrews, who served as Victorian Premier for a decade, stepped down in late 2023 and has since taken on a new role at Orygen, a mental health organisation.
The pandemic has left many questioning the balance between public health and economic impact. Do you think the treatment of Dan Andrews by the hospitality industry was justified? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
