The Grounds to open cooking school and florist

The Grounds of Alexandria has a reputation as a booming, much-copied Sydney success story, making the voluntary administration of a company connected with it baffling. While it remains business as usual at The Grounds, more will be known after a creditors meeting on Wednesday. Its administrator has told media the appointment was to an asset holding entity, not one that trades the business. Ramzey Choker, director of The Grounds, told Good Food the action is the result "of when we were young and set up the company, the way we set it up was stupid … I wouldn't be building all these [new projects] if there was a problem".

Indeed construction is starting at The Grounds city venture and the group has snared the site of former Alexandria neighbour Salt Meats Cheese. "We are building a cooking school in there which should open in about four weeks, a space for florist and styling classes which is about three months away." Cooking school punters will be in good hands, with a dozen AGA ovens being installed and former Ortolan, Ananas and North Bondi Fish chef Paul McGrath overseeing the program as part of his new role as executive chef at The Grounds. Choker is also building a "dream room" where his staff can develop business ideas. "We'll back them into it," he says. "I've never wanted to open 100 businesses myself."