Melbourne’s first hatted lasagne restaurant, 1800 Lasagne, enters administration

Melbourne’s iconic lasagne destination, 1800 Lasagne, has entered into administration, casting a shadow over the future of its much-loved Thornbury restaurant.

Founded by Joey Kellock, 1800 Lasagne began as a humble home delivery service during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Operating out of Kellock’s home kitchen, the business quickly gained cult status for its Italian comfort food.

The pork and beef lasagne that started it all for 1800 Lasagne.Credit: Justin McManus

Riding the wave of that success, Kellock opened the restaurant’s first physical venue in August 2020, on High Street in Thornbury.

The niche restaurant earned a coveted chef’s hat in 2023, with Good Food critic Besha Roddell raving, “There is simply nothing about it not to love.”

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More than five years since its beginnings, its doors remain open for now, but the future of 1800 Lasagne is uncertain. On July 30, Todd Gammel and Matthew Levesque-Hocking of accounting advisory group HLB Mann Judd were appointed as external administrators, as the business faces financial difficulties.

The nature and extent of those challenges have not yet been made public. The role of an administrator is to assess the company’s financial standing and make decisions in the best interests of creditors, which may involve restructuring, selling assets, or liquidation.

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