Sydney sushi pizza restaurant Sash has announced it is going into liquidation, blaming its closure on “drastically over paid” hospitality workers. Others are blaming the fact that they sold sushi pizza.

According to a report published today by The Sydney Morning Herald, the Surry Hills restaurant has gone into liquidation just three months after opening. Co-foundered by directors Kyle Stagoll and Dave Nelson, Sash’s “new age Japanese Fusion” failed to attract enough diners to keep it afloat, ultimately accumulating debts of $436,000 during its short life.

Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald, Stagoll blamed Sash’s unsustainablity on high rent and the increasing tendency of customers to eat in, prompted by cold weather and UberEats. He also blamed having to pay their 52 workers a decent wage.

“Most of our competitors who have been successful over the past few years have been paying staff under the award rate, it seems the only way venues can stay ahead,” said Stagoll. “Does that mean hospo workers are drastically over paid for the value they produce for a business? Probably.”

Under the Restaurant Industry Award 2010, the current minimum wage for restaurant workers ranges from $19.49 to $24.77 per hour, depending upon their level of training and duties. The minimum wage across Australia is $19.49, having been increased by three per cent on July 1.

Online commentors have been tearing Stagoll’s statements apart, as well as wondering who on earth would want a sushi pizza.

Some have also noted the less than stellar branding on Sash’s menus, which are splattered with the kind of phrases that many Asian-Australian kids have heard yelled at them on the playground.

A quick Google search has informed me that sushi pizza is apparently a thing in Canada. This does not mean it is a good thing, but at least it’s some sort of explanation for this nightmare.

Sash’s first location in Windsor, Melbourne is still in operation, just in case you don’t find the mere concept of sushi pizza deeply unsettling.

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