New team joins China Beach kitchen

With talented Thai chef Mai Busayarat departing the China Beach kitchen for ''family reasons'', regulars at the Manly restaurant have been keen to see who will fill her kitchen clogs.

Apparently it takes a posse, with Adam Cliff - who has returned from David Thompson's Nahm in Bangkok - and former Rockpooler Ch'ng Ching appointed joint head chefs.

But wait, there's more.

Former Sailors Thai head chef Ty Bellingham, who moved to New York City to run the kitchen at Kittichai, has also landed at China Beach. Short Black hears there are plans for a new offshoot to the restaurant in 2013.