Guillaume Brahimi to close his namesake Paddington fine diner

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Sydney fine dining has been dealt another blow with chef Guillaume Brahimi to close his signature Paddington restaurant at the end of the year.

The French chef's decision to close the upmarket restaurant caps a tough year for the pointy end of dining. Sydney lost Marque restaurant mid-year and Rockpool est.1989 rebranded itself as Eleven Bridge.

Brahimi opened the Hargrave Street restaurant after departing the Sydney Opera House where he successfully operated Guillaume at Bennelong for a number of years. The Paddington property underwent a costly and meticulous refit prior to his opening. The suburb has seen increased competition in recent times, with a number of high-profile restaurant launches.

"While I have loved the last three years at Guillaume in Paddington and it has been a difficult decision not to take up the further option period, I am happy with my decision to focus all my energy into my bistros around the country," Brahimi says.

He recently opened a Sydney branch of Bistro Guillaume and also has a consultancy deal with Public House Management Group, which has Bistro Moncur in its stable.