Malaysian-fusion restaurant chain Madam Woo, co-founded by celebrity chef Josh Emett, is part of a restaurant group now in the hands of voluntary administrators.

Malcolm Hollis and John Fisk of PwC were today appointed by the directors of Go To Collection, a hospitality group that operates the Rata, Madam Woo and Hawker & Roll restaurants in Queenstown, Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga.

The company currently employs more than 100 staff.

Hollis said in a statement the administrators’ role was to try and rehabilitate and restructure the business to avoid an alternative process such as liquidation.

“The Company has experienced a difficult period due to the impact of Covid-19, especially the extreme shortage of staff. We will work with the team to devise and implement a restructuring plan to ensure the components of the business that are operating well can have a successful future.

“The best-performing restaurants will continue to provide high-quality services. However, the less popular sites will be closed. Nearly all existing staff will be retained.

”In addition to a restructuring plan, it is intended that a proposal (by way of a Deed of Company Arrangement or DOCA) will be put to creditors at a Watershed Meeting before Christmas.

Creditors will be contacted in due course, he added.

The Companies Office lists Fleur Caulton, Andrew Glenn and Michael Hill International director Emma Hill as the directors of Go To Collection Limited.

Shareholders include Caulton and Emett’s Mayfare Limited, with 66.67 per cent, the Edgar family’s SIL Long Term Holdings with 8.33 per cent and Sir Stephen Tindall’s K One W One, also with 8.33 per cent.

Caulton and Emett co-founded and opened the first Madam Woo restaurant in Queenstown in 2013. The pair then opened three other restaurants in Christchurch, Auckland and Hamilton, and launched Hawker & Roll, which has five outlets.

Shortly after Covid struck, in May 2020, they closed a Christchurch restaurant and laid off staff.