Fink group recruits general manager to steer Quay, Otto

The Fink family-owned restaurant group has recruited an outsider as general manager to steer its heavyweight restaurant assets, which include Quay, Otto Ristorante and two new restaurants opening this year.

Paul Dewhurst, who has opened several Jamie's Italian restaurants, admits he's still getting his head around the new portfolio.

"They are very different restaurant operations than I was used to," he says.

Dewhurst will oversee all operations, back of house and restaurant start-ups.

John Fink has shifted into a new creative director role with the group: "I'll make sure the new Bennelong restaurant is all it can be, that Quay maintains its standards and Lennox [Hastie] opens his new Surry Hills restaurant successfully," he says.

Fink adds that "good creative" can be knowing when to leave something alone.

"I didn't entertain changing the name at Bennelong. The only discussion we had is whether it should be The Bennelong."