Newtown Restaurant Oscillate Wildly is Closing

Since opening in 2003, Newtown diner Oscillate Wildly has developed a following for its creative, ever-changing degustation menu. The restaurant has been owned and expertly operated by chef Karl Firla for the past 10 years. He’s brought to it techniques and concepts he learnt at fine-dining restaurants including Est and now-closed Marque.

Firla has now announced that Oscillate Wildly will be leaving its Australia Street address so he can take up new (not-yet-confirmed) opportunities. But while he will be serving his last degustation on August 31, he told Broadsheet it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the Oscillate Wildly concept.

“At this point in time it’s good to put a brake on it,” he says. “I’m not so much closing the business but looking at other opportunities going forward. That could mean a change of business model, or location. I can’t say exactly what that will be yet.”

Firla says ending Oscillate Wildly as we know it means he’ll be able to say yes to opportunities he’s declined in the past. As an owner/operator it was difficult to tear himself away from the business to take on new ventures.

“Oscillate requires a complete contribution from myself,” he says. “I’m heavily involved in the complete operation. I don’t have anything lined up tomorrow, per se, but there will be things in the future. Moving forward is beneficial for everybody, but making this decision has been really tough. It hasn’t happened overnight; I’ve given it a lot of thought.”

He’ll try to find someone else to take over the narrow inner-west space, and help someone else bring their own concept into the small diner.

“The hospitality industry is very competitive, and it can be hard for people to take charge. I’d hate to see a business move in there and struggle,” he says. “I want to help another business move in there and make its own stamp in the industry.”

This news comes after other prominent Sydney restaurants, including ACME , The Fish Shop and Longrain have announced their closures. And Firla’s decision is not dissimilar to Kylie Kwong’s. She announced in January she’ll shut Billy Kwong to work on other projects. She told Broadsheet the Potts Point restaurant required all her attention and it was time to reprioritise.

Firla says it’s not necessarily a particularly difficult time in the Sydney hospitality industry – it’s always hard. He’s positive about the future, though.

“Australia’s hospitality industry is growing in leaps and bounds,” he says. “Unlike in other countries, we don’t have 2000 years of culinary history restricting us; we have more freedom to be creative and do what we want. It’s always difficult to operate in this industry, the margins are tight.

“I’ve enjoyed every single day of the last 10 years. When I leave on the last day I’m going to look back and think how much I enjoyed every single day.”

Oscillate Wildly’s last service will be on August 31.

oscillatewildly.com.au