Prominent Sydney chef Phil Wood has hit back at a fellow restaurant owner who publicly criticised his cafe’s $36 breakfast, sparking a broader conversation about hospitality industry challenges and professional solidarity.
Wood, chef-owner of Ursula’s Paddington and Cafe Cressida, took to Instagram to defend his pricing structure after another independent operator shared a photo of his full breakfast dish to criticise its cost.
“I was so saddened to see a fellow independent restaurant owner post a photo of a dish from our cafe to criticise the cost of breakfast,” Wood wrote in the lengthy post. “This sort of public tearing down does nothing to help our industry, an industry we should be working together to protect.”
The economics behind cafe pricing
Wood’s post centred on the economic realities facing cafe operators, particularly around staffing costs under Australia’s Restaurant Industry Award.
He revealed that casual waiters at his establishments earn between $36.18 and $37.38 per hour on weekdays, rising to $43.43 and $52.33 per hour on weekends – figures that include superannuation.
“Unlike a restaurant, where guests may spend anywhere from $100 to over $200 per head over a two-hour sitting, in cafes, that $50 breakfast is as good as it gets,” Wood explained, noting that many customers occupy tables for extended periods while spending significantly less than restaurant patrons.
The chef emphasised that cafe operators face unique challenges, including unpredictable customer numbers for breakfast service, making wage management particularly difficult.
A plea for industry cooperation
Wood’s post highlights broader pressures facing independent hospitality operators, citing “compliance, rent, energy, goods and labour costs” as mounting challenges. His full breakfast, featuring LP’s parsley and pecorino sausage, represents the top end of his menu, with the average hot dish costing $23.46.
The pricing structure extends beyond food, with fresh juices ranging from $8 for a Granny Smith apple to $10 for speciality blends – costs Wood argues reflect quality ingredients and proper staff wages.
Central to Wood’s message was a plea for industry cooperation rather than public criticism. He regularly promotes other venues on social media, believing that “even one extra table helps” struggling operators.
“I’ve always believed that a stronger hospitality industry comes from supporting each other,” Wood stated, positioning the critic’s actions as counterproductive to industry health.
Wood’s transparent breakdown of operational costs offers rare insight into cafe economics, potentially educating consumers about the factors driving menu prices in premium establishments. The incident also raises questions about professional ethics in the hospitality sector and whether public criticism of competitors’ pricing helps or hinders an industry already facing significant pressures.
