“Good times” and “devoted hospitality” are purportedly the core values of the Swillhouse hospitality group, which owns and operates six of Sydney’s most popular venues.
But an investigation from Nine newspapers has revealed what lies beneath: allegations of sexual assault, drink and drug abuse, and a deeply misogynistic culture that is pushing women out of the industry.
On Wednesday, The Sydney Morning Herald and Good Food published its investigation into Swillhouse, run by chief executive Anton Foote.
The restaurateur manages 334 staff across six venues in Sydney, including his latest Mediterranean grill restaurant in The Rocks, Le Foote. When it opened in May last year, Good Food Guide described it as “the hottest Sydney restaurant opening of the year”.
Foote has since stepped down from his position on the board of the Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association (ARCA) and said his company has “sincerely regretted and apologised to any former employees who felt unsupported and at risk”.
In a statement, ARCA said it “stands firmly against unsafe workplaces, sexual harassment and any form of discrimination”.
What are the allegations?
According to the Nine newspapers, five women are accusing former and current bartenders in Swillhouse venues of sexual assault.
One woman, who was working at Restaurant Hubert at the time, said she was raped in the women’s bathroom in the restaurant, after she was given a cocktail that was made from 10 different types of gin. She is pursuing her allegation with NSW Police, the Herald said.
Nine newspapers also reveal a culture in Swillhouse that is linked to excessive drinking and drug use, with one bartender telling the Herald it was “like a cult”.
But there was another element of the Swillhouse staff culture that came to light in the investigation, a culture of misogyny and poor treatment of women. In fact, Swillhouse did not hire its first female bartender until 2012.
According to a source, women were first hired at the Baxter Inn in 2014. At the time, there were no sanitary bins in the bathroom.
At the same venue, which was named the sixth-best bar in the world in 2015, bartenders who spoke to the Herald said staff members used the code word “shoes” or “Jimmy Choos” to indicate to other staff members that a customer with large breasts had entered the venue.
Staff also had a wall with notes written on it about customers they had sex with, rating their attractiveness on a sliding scale.
Frankie’s Pizza, which closed in 2022, was notorious for its misogynistic and homophobic culture: one former bartender described it as the “Wild West”. Women who worked at Frankie’s were often shifted from the bar to the kitchen because they knew “nothing about beer”, they were encouraged to have sex with customers, and were often shown violent, pornographic material by their managers.
What’s next?
Nine newspapers’ allegations have had significant impacts on both Foote and Swillhouse since they were published on Wednesday, starting with Foote stepping down from his position on the board of ARCA.
Food magazine Gourmet Traveller also removed Restaurant Hubert from its Annual Restaurant Guide. The Swillhouse venue was featured in the Top 25 NSW list, with the print magazine edition already published but due to be officially released on Monday.
“While these allegations are not isolated, I cannot stress enough, it is not the prevailing norm,” Joanna Hunkin, editor of Gourmet Traveller said in a statement.
“We cannot let this tarnish an entire industry, which is full of decent, hard-working and conscientious humans.
“That said, this is the moment to speak up and be heard. If you are a victim or eyewitness to any abuse within the industry, please come forward. We cannot tell this story without you.”
The Swillhouse group was also due to hold its first festival, Swillfest, on Saturday September 21. But after the allegations were published, major partners including Young Henrys, Heaps Normal and P&V wine cancelled their partnership with the hospitality group. Hevenshe, the singer who was due to perform at the festival, also pulled out from her set.
Swillfest has since been cancelled and will no longer go ahead.
(Featured image: Le Foote restaurant in The Rocks, Sydney. Credit: Instagram @swillhouse.hospitality)
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