HOSPITALITY having a very boutique wine list that complimented the food that we ’ re offering in the menu .”
Foodies flock in to sample delights from ambassador chef Stephen Seckold , formerly of Flying Fish , while locals and historians are seduced by the heritage centre that has been created on-site .
“ The plan is that over time , we ’ d like to showcase and glass canvas some of the artefacts ,” he adds . “ Not only in the heritage centre , but in our lobby and our common areas of the building .”
The suburb , which was recently named the most liveable in NSW and is forecast to grow in population by 40 % by 2031 , has a strong community . So much so , that when building was in the final stages , an elderly local walked into the lobby , handed the concierge team a key and said , “ you may need this ”.
Taranto , says concierge asked him what it ’ s for , and the man said he was handed this key through generations , and was aware it opened an old hotel in Parramatta ,
Wayne Taranto , Director of Hotels and Suites
but didn ’ t know where it was .
“ He said , ‘ when I heard that you ’ d found this hotel , I knew that this is it , the actual key that opened the entry to the door of that hotel ’. He was right , it fits the original door of the Wheat Sheaf .”
Taranto was poached from Accor , where he was general manager , by Crown Group CEO , Iwan Sunito , with the mandate to establish the hotel group , establish the brand , SKYE , and launch the first hotel . He ’ s been involved from concept to launch , and engaged influential Sydney
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