Shut Sydney Chinatown cream puff eatery owes tax office $845,000

Emperor's Garden, a long-standing restaurant in Sydney's Chinatown, has been shut down owing the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) more than $845,000. The Australian Taxation Office has filed an application to wind up Emperor's Garden Pty Ltd, arguing the company may be insolvent.

The 47-year-old establishment, famous for its fresh and affordable cream puffs sold from a takeaway window, closed abruptly earlier this month. A sign on the Hay Street building indicated the property had been "lawfully re-entered and possession taken." The restaurant's management, run by Stanley and May Ho Yee, has not filed any court documents, and their son Valentine Yee, involved in operations, could not be reached for comment.

The site is slated for a significant redevelopment, with conditional approval for a $44.5 million project to transform the existing three-storey premises into a 16-storey complex featuring 22 residential apartments. Documents supporting the development application list Mr. Lai's cousins, Valentine Lee and Jonathan Lee, as behind the plans. Lance Lai, Mr. and Mrs. Yee's nephew and co-owner of the building, also could not be reached.

Meanwhile, Valentine and Jonathan Yee face separate charges in the NSW Supreme Court related to an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigation. This probe, codenamed Operation Aero, concerns a $100,000 donation to the Labor Party from a prohibited donor. Jonathan Yee, who was involved with Chinese Friends of Labor, is accused of helping to disguise the donation's origin by arranging for several individuals, including his mother and Emperor's Garden employees, to sign false declaration forms.