Prolific restaurateur Maurice Terzini opened Bondi Icebergs in 2002. And in the two decades since, the dining room became as iconically Sydney as the nearby stretch of sand. Today, the Sydney Morning Herald announced Terzini had resigned from his position as Icebergs director.

The news follows reporting that Maurice was aware there were allegations of sexual misconduct, from multiple women, against his son Sylvester Terzini. It's alleged that instead of addressing the claims, Maurice moved his son from venue to venue, protecting him from accountability.

“Maurice Terzini has agreed to resign as a director of the Icebergs Dining Room and Bar business,” an Icebergs spokesperson said in a statement. “[He] has stood down from any involvement in the business as we conduct an independent review of the issues raised in the SMH reports.”

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Maurice and Sylvester have worked together across many of the Terzini businesses, in both Sydney and Melbourne. Sylvester worked as Icebergs as a teenager, before a stint in Melbourne at Giuseppe, Arnaldo & Sons. The SMH reports that during a tenure at Icebergs between 2013 and 2015, he allegedly threatened a dish hand with a steak knife. Maurice denies Sylvester was violent at his venues.

In the last week, multiple women have come forward with allegations of sexual assault; none of the allegations are said to have occurred in Terzini-owned venues. Speaking anonymously to the SMH, one woman reports she can no longer go to Bondi following a violent attack she claims Sylvester carried out in 2020.

Wider allegations include choking and rape, and aggression including holding a woman down and telling her to “lick the dirt”. It is reported Maurice knew of women wanting to press charges against his son. In 2021, Sylvester was acquitted of “sexual touching after a contested hearing”.

In the wake of the initial exposé, Maurice shared a statement on Instagram: “Allegations that have been made about one of my family members are devastating claims that have no place in our venues, industry or society … The allegations are not ones against me directly yet the inferences have been hurtful and damaging to my reputation.”

Through lawyers, Sylvester has denied all allegations.

Maurice is a minority shareholder in the Icebergs Dining Group, which is owned by Damien Reed and Deke Miskin. Recently, Icebergs expanded with a bar at Crown, and an outpost at Sydney Airport is in development.

Broadsheet reached out to Icebergs Dining Room & Bar for comment but had not heard back at the time of publication.

If you’ve been the victim of sexual harassment in a hospitality workplace or witnessed an incident, read activist Jamie Bucirde’s advice on navigating the situation.

If you would like to speak with someone about an experience you have had, or would like more information, please call 1800Respect on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800respect.org.au.

You can also alert Broadsheet to misbehaviour of any kind in the hospitality industry via report@broadsheet.com.au. We cannot act on specific tips, but your valuable information may inform future coverage.