DUMPED Good Food Guide officially dumps Merivale, Merivale says it’s “thriving”
BY: Kartya Vucetic
This week it was announced that Merivale has been officially dumped from the Good Food Guide, making it the second major hospitality group to be excluded from the annual awards. It follows Swillhouse, which was dropped last year after similar allegations of workplace misconduct emerged.
Why has this happened?
The decision follows recent joint investigations by The Sydney Morning Herald, Good Food and 60 Minutes into Merivale’s workplace culture. In a statement to SMH, Good Food editor Sarah Norris confirmed that Merivale venues (including Sydney staples such as Totti’s, Mr Wong and Mimi’s), had “excluded themselves from being eligible” for this year’s edition.
The Good Food Guide has indefinitely dropped all Merivale venues | Image: The Store
“Allegations against the billion-dollar company, which operates about 90 venues across NSW and Victoria, include, but are not limited to, putting staff in dangerous situations; not protecting the wellbeing of its staff; prioritising VIP treatment over staff safety; and abuse of power,” Norris said.
She added that the Guide’s discretion had broadened beyond food and service quality alone:
“In 2025, for a business and its owner to be awarded a Good Food Guide hat and score, that discretion has broadened to exclude restaurants where there are serious and credible allegations that management is not providing a workspace – for all staff – free from harm and sexual harassment.”
Mimi’s has been historically classed as one of the most reputable restaurants in the East, and will now be dropped | Image: Merivale
What has been Merivale’s response?
Like any good ol’ fashioned break up, Merivale’s insisted that the decision will not be affecting its operations or standing in the industry.
In response, they have released the below statement:
“Nine’s SMH and Good Food made vexatious assertions to Merivale in 2024 that have been investigated by an independent expert Senior Counsel, Kate Eastman SC, and were found to be unsubstantiated, and there have been no other adverse findings regarding those allegations.
In contrast, SMH and Good Food’s publisher, Nine Entertainment, has been found by an independent report to have a workplace with systemic issues with abuse of power and authority, bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment.
Merivale has, for decades, consistently delivered impressive venues for the enjoyment of locals and visitors and we are proud of the many thousands of staff who strive to offer the best to our customers. We do not require the validation of the Good Food Guide, to continue to do so and thrive.”
Many Sydneysiders don’t realise some of their favourite venues (e.g. The Beresford) are Merivale backed | Image: Merivale
What does this mean for Sydney dining?
The move signals a growing shift within Sydney’s dining scene, where hospitality’s long-ignored cultural issues are finally being treated as integral to a venue’s reputation. For diners, it raises an increasingly unavoidable question: when serious allegations surface, should we make a moral choice as to where we eat and drink?
In short, it appears the conversation is starting to expand beyond what’s on the plate: to who’s behind it, and at what cost.
