Courgette’s former owner and chef James Mussillon. Photo: Supplied.
Award-winning Canberra restaurant Courgette has gone into voluntary administration as of Wednesday (26 April), according to Australian Securities and Investments Commission records, although the business is continuing to trade as usual and is encouraging customers to keep their reservations.
This comes just weeks after its former owner and chef James Daniel Mussillon was jailed for money laundering and perjury.
Chartered accounting firm Slaven Torline was appointed as the administrator on Wednesday. The firm specialises in insolvency and restructuring.
Speaking with Region, partner Aaron Torline said that “the business had some historical tax debt that it’s trying to manage, and the ATO has commenced enforcement proceedings”.
In response to questions that the business’s administration may be connected to Mr Mussillon’s arrest and imprisonment, he said that this is “separate”. There are “separate business-related issues relating to financial performance and its ability to meet statutory obligations.”
Mr Torline reiterated that Courgette is “continuing to trade on a business-as-usual basis” and encouraged people to continue making reservations.
He said it is “obviously a viable business and we are looking for a solution”.
He said the business needs “continued support” to maintain its revenue and encouraged patrons to keep their bookings.
While the Courgette website was experiencing technical issues on Wednesday and Thursday, this appears to be unrelated.
As Slaven Torline has only just been appointed as administrator, and there are several outstanding returns that need to be filed, Mr Torline was not yet sure of the scale of the business’s debts. “That will come to light in due course,” he said.
Mr Torline said that the firm is “seeking some options to restructure the operations”, including potentially putting in a formal repayment proposal, reducing operating expenses or re-evaluating supplier contracts.
The restaurant employs approximately 17 staff who, at this stage, Mr Torline “[doesn’t] anticipate” will be under any immediate risk as a result of going into administration.
Court documents say Mr Mussillon laundered money for an alleged cannabis dealer for several years, with a total of $361,941 laundered between 2016 and 2021. He also falsely claimed $31,000 in COVID-19 JobKeeper payments by claiming the alleged dealer was an employee at Courgette.
Mr Mussillon pleaded guilty to five charges: false evidence, general dishonesty influencing a public official and obtaining property by deception, in addition to the money laundering and perjury charges.
He was sentenced to a total of three years, 11 months and told he must spend 12 months behind bars, with the remainder of the term to be suspended and served as a good behaviour order. His sentence was also backdated to account for the seven and a half months he had already spent in custody. He is expected to be released from jail in August 2023.
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