A famous Sunshine Coast restaurant devastated by a freakish incident is turning the setback into a huge positive, one sure to thrill diners.
The Spirit House at Yandina has been closed since late August, after a 43-year-old Monkland man allegedly broke into the kitchen and went on a rampage, causing more than $1 million in damage that insurers have likened to “that of a cyclone”.
As work continues towards restoring the acclaimed restaurant to its former glory, co-owner Acland Brierty has vowed it will be back bigger and stronger early next year.
Mr Brierty told Sunshine Coast News he hoped to reopen the restaurant on January 5, several weeks later than the initial plan to open in early December.
He said the closure had provided a silver lining as it allowed for a kitchen expansion that was set to “power the Spirit House for the next 25 years”.
In exciting news for the icon’s many fans, he revealed the situation had created the opportunity to experiment with new dishes and menus that would be rolled out in 2022.
Mr Briety said shipping delays on vital kitchen equipment had pushed back the reopening of The Spirit House.
The equipment, including stoves and fridges, were expected to arrive in Australia on December 26.
“All the cleaning has been done, everything has been gutted out and now we are ready to rebuild,” he said.
“What we are waiting for now is all the equipment.
“A lot of the equipment was damaged and because there is no equipment in Australia, it all has to be bought, made and flown in from New Zealand.”
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Spirit House was opened in 1995 by Helen and Peter Brierty, initially serving morning and afternoon tea and a light lunch.
Today, it is considered one of the finest food experiences in Queensland for its Pan-Asian cuisine and flavours and highly popular cooking school.
The Cooking School has been back up and running since September and the Hong Sa Bar and the private dining room remain open for bookings.
Visit spirithouse.com.au.
