Armando Varlotta ran the restaurant Armando’s Kitchen in the heart of Cromwell’s historic precinct for seven years, but the kitchen was destroyed by an electrical fire in November 2017.
Mr Varlotta said he did not receive enough support from the Old Cromwell Board, who owns the restaurant building.
"[The board] never acknowledged my emails or calls . . . they left me in the dark wondering what was happening with the rebuild and no-one had the decency to keep me updated."
He finally learned that insurance was to pay for the rebuild, but it would have to be built as close to the original as possible.
Mr Varlotta wanted to change the restaurant’s layout to improve the space, but the board did not share his vision.
He hoped the board would shift as it would "compromise my vision if nothing changed".
"This was the perfect time to make some real changes and the opportunity to turn something horrible into something great but unfortunately, the board does not share my vision which it makes me wonder if these are the right people to keep running the Old Cromwell precinct."
Mr Varlotta encouraged people to attend the Old Cromwell Board AGM on Thursday, May 31 at the polytech.
In an email statement, Old Cromwell Board chairman Euan Hildyard said it was "unfortunate" that Mr Varlotta felt he had been kept in the dark.
"That is not now or never the board’s intention.
"This has been a very long process with the insurance and building contractors and council [and] the board is equally frustrated with the delay in this process."
He said the board could review the decision to forbid alterations, but it would make the decision.
