Veteran food critic John Lethlean has joked he was ‘shattered’ to learn a Melbourne restaurant whose owner once blacklisted him has entered administration.
Iconic Thornbury Italian venue 1800 Lasagne this month entered into voluntary administration – five years after its owner John Kellock set up shop on High Street.
In a post to social media on Tuesday, the hatted restaurant shared a ‘heartfelt message’ advising it would restructure while remaining open for service, the latest addition to the many casualties of Melbourne’s embattled hospitality sector.
It was a sombre update for the city’s lasagne lovers – the restaurant had become extremely popular during Covid for it’s late-night home delivery.
Lethlean was among those who claimed to be heartbroken by the news, though his sincerity seemed tongue-in-cheek, given the fact he was barred from the restaurant over a controversial food review.
‘Shattered by the news the company behind 1800 Lasagne has gone into administration,’ he wrote to Instagram.
Alongside the post, he shared an image of a coaster printed by the restaurant in 2023 reading: ‘Management reserves the right to refuse entry to John Lethlean’.
1800 Lasagne had printed the coasters in response to an Instagram post…