"Mexican chefs were sold the Australian dream by Merivale. It was all ‘smoke screens and make-believe’", 30 June 2025

Fair Work is investigating Merivale following fresh claims the hospitality giant underpaid and exploited vulnerable workers, including eight migrant chefs who say they were recruited from Mexico under false pretences.

The Fair Work investigation follows allegations by this masthead, Good Food and 60 Minutes that Merivale is still ordering staff to work more than full-time hours, as the company plots a huge expansion into Melbourne through a $55 million, 11-storey complex in the CBD and a new spa, hotel and nightclub in the heart of Sydney.

“The Fair Work Ombudsman is investigating Merivale Hospitality Group,” a spokesperson said. “We encourage any workers with concerns to contact us directly for assistance.”

The Fair Work probe has been launched just months after Merivale agreed to settle a $19.5 million wage theft class action with hundreds of workers without admitting fault. Lawyers for Merivale and its billionaire owner, Justin Hemmes, said that the company “defended the claims in the litigation, at all times vigorously denying that any underpayment occurred”.

The multibillion-dollar company behind hatted restaurants Mr Wong, Mimi’s, and Fred’s filled industry-wide skill shortages by partnering with a recruitment agency to encourage migrant chefs to give up the life they knew in exchange for something better: a four-year working visa in Australia, where they would be paid higher wages, work shorter hours, and have the opportunity to advance their careers.

Instead, chefs said they worked upwards of 60 hours each week without penalty rates to cover staff shortfalls in high-pressure kitchens where they allegedly suffered discrimination and bullying. ...

Merivale has denied all allegations against it.

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Lawyers for Merivale have denied the company targeted migrant workers, stating the allegation was “baseless and offensive”.

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Alliance Abroad International had misled them, alleged three chefs, two of whom suspended support program payments within the first year. Where was the competitive salary, the work-life balance, and agency support when things went wrong?

Alliance Abroad global marketing director Anna Downes said “a small number of chefs raised concerns regarding rosters and overtime”, which were then escalated to Merivale’s human resources team.

“[Merivale] advised us that the matters were being addressed internally,” Downes said.

“Any suggestion that we condone or facilitate the mistreatment of migrant workers stands in direct opposition to the values, safeguards, and global standards that underpin everything we do. We strongly reject any claim that we knowingly facilitated such exploitation.”

Merivale has denied knowledge of any such complaints and maintains the company complied with its legal obligations to employees.