Sydney’s Quay restaurant will close on Friday, February 14, 2026, bringing to an end one of the most influential fine-dining chapters in Australian hospitality. The announcement confirms that the restaurant, led by chef Peter Gilmore for more than two decades, will conclude service at its long-standing home in the Overseas Passenger Terminal.
For chefs across the country, the closure marks a significant moment. Quay was not only a destination restaurant, but a kitchen that helped shape expectations around produce, technique and consistency at the highest level.
A restaurant that defined a generation of cooking
Quay opened in 1999 and quickly established itself as a benchmark for modern Australian fine dining. When Peter took over the kitchen in 2001, the restaurant entered a period of sustained excellence that would last more than twenty years.
Under Peter’s leadership, Quay became known for its disciplined cooking, precise execution and deep respect for ingredients. It held three chef hats for more than two decades and was regularly cited as one of the country’s most important dining rooms. Its presence on global restaurant lists helped position Australia as a serious player on the international dining stage.
Signature dishes such as the snow egg dessert became part of the national food conversation. More broadly, Quay demonstrated how creativity and restraint could coexist, with technique used to support flavour rather than dominate it.
The final service and transition period
The restaurant will trade through to mid-February 2026, with its final service scheduled for Valentine’s Day. From Monday, January 1, 2026, Quay will move to a curated “Quay Experience” menu, designed to reflect the dishes and ideas that have defined the kitchen over the years.
This transition period allows the team to close the restaurant on its own terms, while giving diners one final opportunity to experience the space and the cooking that has drawn both local and international guests for more than two decades.
Quay operates under the Fink Group, and the closure has been confirmed in consultation with Peter, who has spoken publicly about pride in what the team achieved across generations of cooks, front-of-house staff and producers.
A kitchen that shaped chefs, not just menus
For many chefs, Quay’s influence was felt less through awards and more through the experience of working there. The kitchen was known for its systems, attention to detail and expectation of consistency. Multi-course tasting menus demanded control, preparation and clear communication across the team.
Alumni from Quay’s kitchen have gone on to senior roles in respected restaurants across Australia and overseas. The skills learned there, from ingredient handling to service rhythm, became part of the professional foundation for many chefs now leading their own kitchens.
Peter’s approach placed emphasis on understanding why a dish worked, not just how to execute it. That mindset shaped cooks who could adapt, refine and lead, rather than simply reproduce.
Produce, place and precision
A defining feature of Quay’s cooking was its relationship with produce. The kitchen worked closely with growers, fishers and specialist suppliers, building menus around availability rather than convenience. That practice influenced how seasons were interpreted and how dishes evolved over time.
The restaurant’s location on Sydney Harbour added another layer of expectation. With views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, Quay carried both symbolic and operational weight. The setting demanded consistency at scale, often under intense scrutiny, while maintaining a sense of calm and control in service.
For chefs observing from elsewhere, Quay showed that location and discipline could coexist, and that highly visible restaurants could still prioritise thoughtful cooking over spectacle.
What comes next for the space
Following Quay’s closure, the site at the Overseas Passenger Terminal will transition to new management under Australian Venue Co. At the time of writing, no concept has been announced for the space.
For the industry, the handover raises broader questions about how landmark dining rooms evolve and how high-profile locations are reimagined. It also highlights the reality that even the most celebrated restaurants have finite lifespans.
A moment of reflection for the industry
Quay’s closure is not simply the end of a restaurant. It marks the close of a particular era in Australian fine dining, one defined by long tenure, stable leadership and an uncompromising approach to craft.
For chefs, it serves as both inspiration and reminder. Inspiration in what can be built through consistency, discipline and clarity. Reminder that kitchens change, contexts shift and careers move through distinct phases.
Peter Gilmore’s contribution through Quay will continue to be felt in Australian kitchens for years to come, not only through iconic dishes, but through the cooks and hospitality professionals shaped by that environment.
As the final service approaches in February 2026, Quay’s legacy will be measured less by its closing date and more by the standards it set, the careers it influenced and the role it played in elevating Australian cooking on a global stage.
