Sydney chef living in his restaurant during Covid-19

After shutting his fine dining restaurant Berowra Waters Inn in March due to Covid-19 restrictions, chef Brian Geraghty has moved into the now-vacant restaurant to live.

Out of work and not able to justify leasing both the restaurant and an apartment in Coogee, current Gault&Millau Chef of the Year, Brian relocated his family, including partner Victoria, their 15-month-old son Otis and their two dogs, to the iconic waterfront restaurant in Berowra, 50 minutes' drive from Sydney city.

Only accessible by boat and tucked away in bushland, the restaurant's unique and somewhat remote location on the riverbanks of the Hawkesbury River made for a logistically challenging move.

"There’s no road access to the restaurant, so we had to hire a barge to get everything across the river (including heavy furniture!), load everything onto a pontoon at the water's edge and then carry everything up the narrow steps leading up to the dining area. It’s a move we won’t forget in a hurry," said Brian.

The restaurant's private dining room has been transformed into the family's living room, complete with stunning views over the river, while the commercial kitchen - where Brian used to serve up a fine dining degustation menu for diners each week - is where he now prepares his family's meals, from breakfast cereal to Otis' favourite mac and cheese.

The former staff changing room and office is now the family’s small sleeping quarters, with just enough room for a double bed and a cot, with a window overlooking the north end of the river. 

They have had to make some adjustments to the property to make it safe and comfortable to live in. 

"We’ve put up a lot of baby gates, and are always on the lookout for snakes, spiders, angry possums and eagles (which might grab the dogs) - all very common around here," he said.

"The biggest challenge now is avoiding the downstairs wine cellar, which stocks around 150 bottles of top shelf Australian wines. For now, I'm going booze free to remove the temptation of a nightly visit.”

While living in a restaurant was not part of their plans, and their new home’s location means simple things like grocery shopping are a bit of a mission, Brian and his family feel very fortunate to be calling one of the most beautiful parts of Australia home, albeit temporarily. 

"We are going on walks each day, teaching Otis about local flora and fauna in the surrounding bush, going fishing and catching mud crabs, and enjoying plenty of fresh air.

"We have been running the Inn for nine years, so we know the area and our neighbours very well. While it's not a long term solution - we will move out as soon as we can open the restaurant up again - we are trying to look on the bright side and enjoy the beautiful location for what it is.

"If you've got to isolate during Coronavirus, this is the place to do it."

Image source: Daily Telegraph, Justin Lloyd.