Prominent Melbourne chef and Greek restaurateur George Calombaris has made an unexpected pivot, revealing his involvement in a newly opened Chinese restaurant in Sydney’s inner west.

The venue, called Double Happy Chinese Restaurant, is located in the Empire Hotel on Parramatta Road in Annandale.

The project is run by Linchpin Hospitality, a recently formed group that has taken over the management of a handful of old venues from embattled publican Jon Adgemis of Public Hospitality, The Australian Financial Review reported.

With Calombaris originally recruited by Public Hospitality and Linchpin now managing Public-linked venues, including The Exchange in Balmain, the Empire and Noah’s Backpackers at Bondi, Linchpin’s chief executive Terry Soukoulis has had to bat away conjecture that Linchpin is linked to Public.

“I can categorically deny it [that it is owned or controlled by Public],” Soukoulis says. He confirms that backing for the group has come from a foreign bank, which Soukoulis says can’t yet be named but will be revealed later.

Soukoulis also points to properties such as Kings Cross bar Dulcie’s and The Emerald Room in Darlinghurst as venues Linchpin now manages, which were never part of the Public Hospitality portfolio.

“Originally, George came up to be a consultant and saw a gap in the market,” Soukoulis says.

At Double Happy Chinese Restaurant, Calombaris oversees the food as Linchpin’s culinary director. The menu does not play to his signature Greek cooking, taking some unusual cross-cultural zigs and zags, with a barbecue pork pizza and crispy tortillas used in its version of prawn toast.

“Everyone’s been saying, ‘What the hell do you know about Chinese food?’ ” says Calombaris.

“We’re doing proper Aussie old-school Chinese food, and I know how that’s supposed to taste. But I’ve surrounded myself with good people, including one ex-Longrain and one from Mr. Wong, and I’m learning a lot.”

Calombaris says the Australian Chinese style of restaurant has a nostalgia that resonates with diners. That nostalgia translates to some classic throwback dishes such as lemon chicken and sweet and sour pork. “We thought it was the perfect fit for the community,” he says.

Calombaris, whose stated ambition once was to head the world’s leading Greek restaurant, will be able to lean in on his pedigree in Hellenic cuisine when Linchpin opens two Greek venues in Sydney in autumn as part of its drive into the harbour city.

The move to Sydney follows a controversial few years for Calombaris, with his Made Establishment group going into administration in early 2020, forcing a suite of venues to close. The collapse followed the business identifying $7.8 million in underpayments to 515 employees, who have since been reimbursed.

Linchpin’s Soukoulis says of the forthcoming launches: “We’ll do a Greek tavern at the Oxford Tavern in Petersham and a Greek wine bar at The Exchange [in Balmain].” Both will open around April or May.

At Linchpin, Adam Males (formerly of Merivale, QT and Qalia) has joined as head of operations and Joanna Sproule (ex-Ovolo and QT) as head of hotels and new development.

The group plans to branch into accommodation at the sprawling Noah’s Backpackers building in Bondi, which Public Hospitality’s Adgemis snapped up in 2022 for $68 million.

Linchpin will oversee its transformation into a 60-room boutique hotel. The Campbell Parade site will include a takeaway food venue, a restaurant and a cocktail bar.

“Everything will be Australian-made, from the furniture to the food and wine,” Soukoulis says.

The hotel’s new name is yet to be unveiled, but Soukoulis confirmed its rooftop will be activated as part of the redevelopment. Building work is under way, with Soukoulis hopeful it will open before next summer.