Friday Five: the week's top news
Michel Roux Jr’s two Michelin-starred Mayfair restaurant Le Gavroche will close next year, 56 years after it launched. The restaurant will close in January 2024 when its current lease expires. Originally opened in 1967 by Roux’s father Albert and uncle Michel on Lower Sloane Street in Chelsea, Le Gavroche was the first restaurant in the UK to gain one, two and three Michelin stars (it lost its third in 1993) and is renowned for its classic French haute cuisine. The restaurant moved to its current location on Upper Brook Street in Mayfair in 1981. Led by Michel Roux Jr since 1991, the chef says that he is looking for a better work/life balance without the daily demands of a busy Michelin-starred restaurant and that the upcoming end of his current lease gave him the opportunity to assess and consider his future.
- Wine bar group Vinoteca has been bought out of administration, saving 150 jobs. The group, which operates five London venues, has been bought by London-based investor Breal Capital. Last week, Vinoteca’s future was uncertain after it filed a court notice of its intention to appoint administrators to secure breathing space from creditors. “Vinoteca is a premier destination for wine enthusiasts, offering an exquisite collection of fine wines from around the world, complemented by an exceptional culinary experience,” says a Breal Capital spokesperson. “Beyond its outstanding collection of wines and delectable cuisine, Vinoteca distinguished itself through its commitment to education. The establishment will continue to host a series of events, workshops, and tastings led by industry experts, allowing guests to deepen their appreciation and knowledge of the world of wine.”
- Tom Kerridge has confirmed he will be opening a second site under his Butcher’s Tap & Grill brand later this year in London’s Chelsea. Taking over the former The Queen’s Head site on Tyron Street, close to Sloane Square, the 100-cover pub will predominately be wet led with a rotating roster of drinks including London craft beers and new world wines. There will also be a ‘British centric’ food menu of butcher-cuts, burgers, hot dogs and small bites.
- Chef Sertaç Dirik has left his family’s progressive Turkish restaurant Mangal 2. In an Instagram post, Dirik said that he would retain his interests and directorship but 'operationally have little input' and that it was 'time for another to nurture the beast that is the Mangal'. He said: “It’s with a heavy heart that I announce my leave from Mangal 2. I always knew it would be challenging but nothing could prepare me for the rollercoaster that has been this journey. This isn’t just a work place to me, it has been my home, my school, my place of both comfort and darkness.”
- Chef restaurateur Peter Lloyd will open a third Sticky Mango restaurant late next month in London’s Islington. Lloyd has secured a site on Esther Anne Place, which was previously occupied by Japanese and Middle Eastern fusion restaurant JIJI, for the opening. It comes as Lloyd launches his second Sticky Mango restaurant on the former Cantina del Ponte site near Tower Bridge. The restaurant, which has been billed as the flagship location for the Southeast Asian concept, had its first official service earlier this week.
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