Chef Nicholas Hill departs the Old Fitz in Woolloomooloo

No, say it isn't so. Sydney won't be the same, with chef Nicholas Hill's Cumberland sausage tarte tatin exiting the Old Fitz in Woolloomooloo.

Hill, who has Quay, Sepia and the Michelin-starred Ledbury on his CV, has turned Sydney pub dining on its head with reimagined British pub fare, raw beef on drippings toast and black pudding toad in the hole. Now he's moving on from the Old Fitz.

"Due to the mounting pressures of COVID-19 and a difference in vision for the future of the venue with the landlord I have made the difficult decision to part ways with the pub," he told Good Food.

Hill stressed the landlord isn't publican James Wirth and his team, who have operated the Old Fitz since early 2019 and brought Hill on board.

Asked if Wirth is still involved, Hill directed Good Food to the publican.

"I can't talk about this stuff due to ongoing legal issues," Wirth said.

Hopefully there's resolution around the corner as the Old Fitz has been a winning food story for postcode 2011. As for Hill, he says he'll concentrate on his burgeoning smoked eel business as well as being a "gun for hire".