IT’S been a tough year for hospitality and celebrity chefs have not been immune to the industry’s troubles.
From TV stars to Michelin-star holders, a number have closed their restaurants as cost pressures and declining consumer confidence hit trading.
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.
And, these are unlikely to be last closures of 2025 with accountancy firm Price Bailey having predicted 6,000 restaurants could shut their doors this year.
But, it’s not all bad news as some of those who have announced closures plan to reopen in a different locations or with an adjusted offer.
Here are all the restaurants run by celebrity chefs that have closed this year:
La Dame de Pic
Anne-Sophie Pic closed her two-Michelin-star restaurant La Dame de Pic earlier this month.
The restaurant had sat within the Four Seasons’ Hotel in London’s Park Lane.
Announcing the closure the two parties said they had agreed to “conclude their partnership”.
In a statement they added: “We are incredibly proud of the two-Michelin-star dining experience we created at La Dame de Pic, delivering exceptional dining and unforgettable moments to all.”
La Dame de Pic received its first Michelin star in 2018 and its second two years later.
The authors of the red book praised the chef’s “delicate [flavour] combinations”, while the AA Guide, which had awarded it four rosettes described “stunning classic dishes” and “superb technical execution”.
Café Lapérouse
Café Lapérouse at the OWO in London‘s Whitehall shut its doors in February after serving guests for less than two years.
The restaurant was sister to the inaugural Café Lapérouse in the Hotel de la Marine in Paris, which has been described as a “quintessential part of the Parisian dining scene”, and is a favourite amongst the city’s elite.
When the London restaurant opened Benjamin Patou, Moma group founder and chief executive, said: “Café Lapérouse will bring its own sophisticated French presence to a London audience, which will excite, amaze and thrill diners.”
No statement was made explaining the closure, but the OWO website was updated to tease a new concept due to take over the space.
The OWO, otherwise known as the historic Old War Office, is home to Raffles Hotel and a number of high-end restaurants including Kioku by Endo by Endo Kazutoshi, the chef behind Michelin-starred Endo at the Rotunda.
Kora by Tom Kitchen
Scottish celebrity chef Tom Kitchin closed his Edinburgh restaurant Kora in January.
He had opened the restaurant in Bruntsfield with his wife Michaela in 2022.
Kitchin said the restaurant had struggled in the face of a challenging “economic climate”, leading him to make the “difficult decision.”
Kora had received rave reviews with the Good Food Guide stating that it had “answered the prayers” of diners both from the city and further afield.
Kitchin remains Scotland‘s youngest winner of a Michelin star, which he received at age 29.
He had trained under culinary legends including Pierre Koffmann and Alain Ducasse.
The star was awarded for his restaurant the Kitchin, also in Edinburgh, which continues to hold the accolade.
Roger Hickman’s Restaurant
Chef Roger Hickman has announced that his Norwich restaurant will hold its final service at the end of March.
The restaurant has been serving diners since 2010 and holds three AA rosettes and a recommendation in the Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland.
The chef said: “It’s been an extraordinary journey, but after 15 years, I’ve decided it’s time to put the restaurant on the market for sale.
“The industry has changed dramatically, and so have the ways in which people dine. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, I feel it’s the right moment to move on.”
Explaining the impact of rising costs on his decision he added: “The cost of living crisis, skyrocketing utility bills, and rising costs of produce and materials have made it increasingly difficult to operate.
“These pressures have forced menu prices to rise, but at the same time, customers simply don’t have the resources to dine out as often as they’d like. With fewer bums on seats and ever-increasing expenses, it’s become almost impossible for small businesses to survive.”
While the restaurants last service will be held on Mother’s Day, Roger said he has a couple of “projects and investments” in the works, including private dining services and special hire events.
Jackson’s
The owner of Jackson’s in Cardiff’s Duke Street Arcade revealed he had closed his restaurant earlier this month after the site was burgled multiple times
Chef Lee Skeet, said the physical and emotional strain of the job had become “more than it was worth”, and explained how thieves had stolen iPads, money, and alcohol from the premises.
Lee, who trained under Gordon Ramsey, added that health issues had also contributed to his decision.
It not all bad news though as Lee said he hoped to relocate to the restaurant to another area of Cardiff “where hopefully there will be less crime”.
It will be music to the ears of fans who had awarded the oyster and seafood bar an average of 4.6/5 stars on Google.
Caldesi
Chef Giancarlo Caldesi, an Italian restaurateur famed for his appearance on the BBC documentary series Return To Tuscany, announced the closure of Caldesi at the beginning of February.
He had opened the restaurant in Belsize, north London in April 2024, serving upmarket Italian food.
A message announcing the closure read: “We have officially closed our doors at Caldesi in Belsize and are deeply grateful for the support and cherished moments shared with our guests.”
Caldesi has two sister restaurants in Marlyebone and Campagna, which remain open – and Giancarlo advised any disappointed customers to visit those instead.
Street Burger
The ultimate celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay, closed a branch of his Street Burger chain earlier this month.
The windows of the restaurant in Kensington High Street, London, were boarded up and the eatery is expected to be replaced by rival restaurant, Burger & Lobster.
The London branch of Street Burger was one of the chain’s nine locations across the UK.
Online, the chain had promised the “perfect burger from Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay”, but reviews on Tripadvisor suggested otherwise.
Giving it one star, one person wrote: “Bad taste, bad service, bad size, bad price, bad everything. If this is something to do with Gordon Ramsey’s recipies – Wake up. GR!”
However, there were also plenty of happy customers. “Great food and good service, enjoyable atmosphere inside. Food came very quickly and the staff were friendly and helpful,” one wrote.
The Restaurant MS
Gordon Ramsay protegee Mark Sargeant closed down The Restaurant MS in Folkestone, Kent, after a string of setbacks.
Despite glowing reviews the business sent an email to customers to say goodbye.
The message, seen by Kent Online, read: “It is with deep regret that we announce the closure of The Restaurant MS.
“This decision, made after careful consideration, has not been easy.
“However, the challenging market conditions and an unpredictable future have compelled us to take this step.”
Sargeant had opened Restaurant MS in 2023, after closing a previous concept he had run in the same site.
The restaurant had received great reviews but had also seen a number of setbacks including a leak that flooded the site less than a month after opening.
Carmel
Yotam Ottolenghi protegee Josh Katz announced the closure of Carmel restaurant in London’s Fitzrovia in January.
The restaurant had been a sister to Carmel Queeen’s Park, which remains open.
Katz is also behind London restaurants Berber & Q and Shawarma Bar.
The now closed Fitzrovia restaurant had been open for less than a year.
Katz told The Caterer: “I cannot see a viable way forward in Fitzrovia and have taken the very difficult decision to close Carmel Fitzrovia with immediate effect.”
Osma
Masterchef: The Professionals 2024 star Danielle Heron closed her Manchester restaurant Osma earlier this year.
The restaurant, which the chef opened with Sofie Stoermann-Naess, had traded in the city for almost five years.
But, it’s not all bad news as the pair have said they plan to relocate the restaurant.
Announcing the closure on Instagram they said: “It’s with a heavy heart, but excitement for the future, that we have decided to close our Prestwich restaurant ahead of a move to the city centre.
“Being fully transparent – we’ve struggled to find experienced staff, leaving us with little to no personal life. We have made the decision to move on to what we hope will be a more sustainable business that can grow, and allow us more time to follow our dreams.”
Osma had been listed in the Michelin Guide with inspectors praising its “mightily appealing seasonal menu”.
Studio Frantzén
The chef behind three-Michelin-star Swedish eatery Restaurant Frantzén ended his London residency at Harrods department store in January.
Björn Frantzén had launched Studio Frantzén in 2022 as his first outpost in London.
A message posted to the restaurant’s Instagram post stated: “We are in the process of closing our Harrods location and relocating to a new venue, with the grand opening scheduled for the summer of 2025.”
Burnt Truffle
Chef Gary Usher, who has starred in a Channel 4 show and won multiple awards, announced the closure of his popular Merseyside restaurant Burnt Truffle in January.
Usher had opened Burnt Truffle in 2015, when it was the second outlet in the portfolio of his company, Elite Bistros.
The chef said the business had decided not to renew the lease of the restaurant as the “honest truth” was he had “never been able to make it work” at the site.
The chef owns five other restaurants, as well as a pub, and a bakery
What is happening to the hospitality industry?
By Laura McGuire, consumer reporter
MANY Food and drink chains have been struggling in recently as the cost of living has led to fewer people spending on eating out.
Businesses had been struggling to bounce back after the pandemic, only to be hit with soaring energy bills and inflation.
Multiple chains have been affected, resulting in big-name brands like Wetherspoons and Frankie & Benny’s closing branches.
Some chains have not survived, Byron Burger fell into administration last year, with owners saying it would result in the loss of over 200 jobs.
Pizza giant, Papa Johns is shutting down 43 of its stores soon.
Tasty, the owner of Wildwood, said it will shut sites as part of major restructuring plans.
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