economy
Fallouts and financial woes: inside Heston Blumenthal’s sinking empire
Current and ex-staff claim demise of London restaurant can be traced back to the departure of chef’s right-hand man
TL;DR
- Dinner by Heston, a two-Michelin-star restaurant, is closing in January 2027.
- Heston Blumenthal attributes the closure to the end of the tenancy agreement with the Mandarin Oriental hotel.
- Current and former staff claim the restaurant's decline began after Ashley Palmer-Watts, Blumenthal's collaborator, left in 2020.
- The broader restaurant group, SL6 Ltd, has reported significant financial losses and faced a winding-up petition from HMRC, though this has reportedly been withdrawn and paid.
- Sources suggest the hotel decided not to renew the lease, partly due to the restaurant's performance after Palmer-Watts' departure.
- Palmer-Watts expressed bittersweet feelings about the closure, noting he hadn't been involved for six years but felt pride in the restaurant maintaining its Michelin stars.
- Controversies, including a report of wage theft at a sister restaurant in Australia, and Blumenthal's reduced television presence are also cited as potential factors.
- The Mandarin Oriental is reportedly in talks with chefs like Jason Atherton and Anne-Sophie Pic to take over the space.