Tony Bilson will be putting his energy into new projects, including charity work. Image: manyfacesofinspiration.com

Tony Bilson has announced he's leaving the restaurant business and will concentrate on some charity projects, his consultancy work and also the launch of his own range of food products.

The chef and restaurateur revealed this morning his decision to leave Number One Wine Bar, the Circular Quay restaurant that he relaunched in late November with the backing of new owners Tribalise Entertainment Group.

The reopening under the new owners had followed the much publicised collapse and liquidation of Bilson's company which as well as Number One included his three hat fine diner Bilson's Restaurant at the Radisson Hotel.

Bilson told Hospitality magazine the move to reopen the Number One with him heading up the kitchen and his daughter and son working alongside him to run it hadn't "worked out".

"It didn't work out with the present owners," Bilson said. "And I also just felt that I've done enough in restaurants."

"I've done three hats and all that sort of stuff and I really want to do something else. I'm now 68 and after this last financial thing I just don't want to go through any of that stuff again. I'm happy to act as a consultant but I don't want to run restaurants."

"And frankly i just dont think the margins are there in restaurants. George Calombaris was quite right - the new laws have caused so many problems."

Bilson said a spell in hospital in December had also led him to reassess his plans for the future. "When I was there I thought, see you later, I've got other things to do," he said.

"It gives you a new view of life and you start to realise you have only have a certain amount of time left on this earth and there are better things to be doing than being in a wine bar.

Bilson said he plans to devote more of his time to charity projects including My Big Kitchen, the Sydney community kitchen operation that provides education and training and support for people in need through its commercial kitchen facilities at Bondi.

He is also involved in the setting up of a similiar operation in the Northern Territory that's a joint project of the Northern Territory government and the indigenous owners the at on the Gove Peninsula. As well as working as a community kitchen and education facility the new project will also aim to establish a local seafood export industry.