A CHANNEL 4 star chef has made the decision to close his restaurant for good after just three months.
Chef Dom Taylor will shut up shop later this month at his Marvee’s Food Shop in Ladbroke Grove, West London, due to “unforeseen circumstances”.
Dom Taylor found fame as the winner of C4’s Five Star Kitchen: Britain’s Next Great Chef[/caption]
Marvee’s Food Shop will close after the Notting Hill Carnival[/caption]
The Caribbean restaurant just opened in May as part of the music and events space UNDR, near the famous Portobello Road.
Taylor rose to fame as the winner of Channel 4’s Five Star Kitchen: Britain’s Next Great Chef.
In a message on Instagram, Taylor said: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, Marvee’s Food Shop at UNDR will soon be coming to an end, after some fun this Carnival Weekend.
“We have a few remaining tables this Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd, so make sure to come along and say your farewells (for now)!
“From 27th onwards the chefs who have been working with Dom at UNDR will continue serving up their own menu of Caribbean food, following the success of Marvee’s so make sure to keep showing them your love!
“UNDR was the first home for Marvee’s Food Shop, and we have loved welcoming all of our wonderful guests over the past few months. Watch this space!”
Before opening Marvee’s, Taylor had a 10-month residency with the Good Front Room restaurant at the Langham in central London.
When it opened Taylor described it as a tribute to the traditional Caribbean takeaway.
On the menu at Marvee’s were Caribbean classics, including Bammy, a traditional cassava bread, and the Jamaican Festival, a deep-fried sweet bread, reinvented as waffles, with a selection of toppings including jerk chicken, crispy spiced banana blossom or boneless goat curry, The Caterer reports.
Reviewing the restaurant for the Evening Standard, critic David Ellis gave it three stars, saying: “The pork is good but perhaps no more than that.”
Earlier this month, a BBC‑featured chef abruptly closed down his UK Top 100 restaurant.
Deri Reed has called time on The Warren admitted bluntly: “it hasn’t been working for some time” in a social media post.
His eatery in Carmarthen, Wales, has long enjoyed acclaim – and not just from the critics.
Last month as well, celebrity chef Roy Ner closed Jeru, his Mediterranean themed restaurant Jeru.
It has been a tough time in hospitality with a number of celebrity chefs feeling the heat – and not just in the kitchen.
Those to have closed sites include the ultimate celebrity cook, Gordon Ramsay, and renowned French chef Anne-Sophie Pic.
Many of those shutting their doors have highlighted economic circumstances, which have made it increasingly difficult to make a profit.
Expert analysis
By Laura McGuire
Experts say the cost of living crisis has left customers favouring a cheap dinner over splashing out on fancy evenings out in expensive restaurants, and this has made celeb chefs think twice about whether it’s worth continuing to run their business.
Paul Lochhead, managing director of Drinkstuff, told The Sun: “For celebrity chefs, these ventures are often passion projects rather than primary revenue sources.
“If a restaurant isn’t performing well, it may not be worth the continued investment, especially when compared to the other income streams they have.”
Dr Marc Stierand, director of the institute of business creativity at EHL Hospitality Business School, added that restaurants with one Michelin Star – of which there are around 170 in the UK – may struggle compared to top-end restaurants.
“For restaurants with one-star, they are not “cool” enough to attract international travellers. These restaurants could be empty most days, and the market is very weak now, so it’s just far too expensive [to run them],” he explained.
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The restaurant served up classic Caribbean cuisine[/caption]