Sushi Bay restaurant chain being forced to close

A sushi restaurant chain operating stores across Australia is being forced to close after alleged breaches of the Fair Work Act and debts.

All of the stores in NSW, Darwin and Canberra have been placed in court-ordered liquidation this year, according to Australian Securities and Investments Commission documents.

ASIC documents show Sushi Bay in Canberra and most NSW stores have been liquidated while the Darwin store is in the process of closing.

The only store that remains open is the Campbelltown outlet.

Insolvency firm O’Brien Palmer told 9news.com.au the company is in about $1.6 million worth of debt.

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Sushi Bay restaurants across New South Wales, Darwin and Canberra are being investigated for allegedly underpaying 163 workers – mostly Korean nationals on student, working holiday or work visas – a total of $656,141 between 2016 and 2020.

Fair Work also alleges minimum wage rates, penalty rates and annual leave entitlements were underpaid.

More than $600,000 of the alleged underpayments are related to outlets in NSW across Carlingford, Campbelltown, Charlestown, Forster, Glendale, Liverpool, Merrylands, Miranda, Miranda Westfield, Paramatta, Penrith, Rouse Hill, Shellharbour, and Wollongong.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against the operators of the Sushi Bay outlets in NSW, Darwin and Canberra.

Sushi Bay Pty Ltd, Sushi Bay ACT Pty Ltd, Auskobay Pty Ltd, and Auskoja Pty Ltd and Yi Jeong ‘Rebecca’ Shin, the owner and sole director of the companies, are facing court.