Fallouts and financial woes: inside Heston Blumenthal’s sinking empire
Dinner by Heston was once one of the world’s most revered restaurants, known for its decadent and unusual dishes such as the “meat fruit”.But Heston Blumenthal announced this week that he is winding down operations at the two Michelin-star restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Knightsbridge, London, saying it was because the tenancy had “finished”.However, current and former workers at Dinner claim the restaurant has been going downhill for years after Blumenthal fell out with his right-hand man, Ashley Palmer-Watts, who created the menu and ran the restaurant day to day before he left the business.“Closing the restaurant was not Heston’s choice whatsoever,” a senior source from the Mandarin Oriental told the Guardian.“The hotel chose not to renew the lease.
“It never performed particularly well after Ashley left, which is shocking as it was potentially the busiest and most successful two Michelin-star restaurant in the world.It went off the boil.When Ashley left, so did most of the core team.”He claimed the restaurant was “empty” on Sunday lunchtimes “which was extraordinary.If it’s not successful, even with two stars, it’s not bringing any money in, then, difficult decisions have to be made.
”A representative for Blumenthal disputed that the restaurant was underperforming, adding that it was a “highly regarded and popular part of our portfolio”.Blumenthal’s restaurant group, which includes the three Michelin-star Fat Duck in Bray as well as the Hind’s Head pub, has also been struggling with debts.Last year, SL6 Ltd, the company behind the restaurants, posted a £2.1m loss, up from £1.4m the previous year.
Directors at the company blamed “wage inflation” and “economic uncertainties” that “affect customers’ willingness to spend their disposable income” in the restaurant’s annual accounts.Last month, HMRC issued a winding-up petition against the firm.Blumenthal’s spokesperson said these accounts did not relate to Dinner by Heston, the finances of which were managed by the Mandarin Oriental, and added: “The SL6 payment to HMRC was paid in full, and the petition has been withdrawn.”Palmer-Watts has not seen or spoken to Blumenthal since he left Dinner.He is now working on projects including the award-winning London pub the Devonshire, which he co-owns and designed the menu for, and his own spirits line.
He learned the restaurant he founded was closing after reading about it in the press,“I thought it was a bittersweet moment because I had amazing times there creating that thing and it was an incredible experience,” he said,“It was a brilliant project and I loved it,”Palmer-Watts said he was pleased it kept going for so long after he left, adding: “I haven’t been there for six years and it still maintained its Michelin stars, and I think I can be proud that means I put down really good foundations in place that held it in good stead,”Sources at the hotel claimed they were planning to close it down last year, but Blumenthal asked if it could stay open until January 2027, in order to celebrate its 16th anniversary.
The Mandarin Oriental is in talks with top chefs including Jason Atherton and Anne-Sophie Pic to take over the space, the Guardian understands.A spokesperson for Blumenthal said: “The contract was always due to conclude in July 2026.Together with Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, we agreed a six-month extension until January 2027, and jointly decided not to extend beyond that point.”Blumenthal was a pioneer of new ways of cooking, creating world-famous dishes including bacon and egg ice-cream and snail porridge, but also popularised triple-cooked chips and scotch eggs with a runny yolk; recipes which have been taken up by pubs nationwide.He also invented the use of liquid nitrogen in culinary settings, and popularised sous vide cooking.
Palmer-Watts helped him make his ideas a reality, for example the snail porridge came about because Blumenthal tried to make a snail sausage.However, when the pair cut into it, it had no structural integrity and the contents spilled into a puddle on the plate.Palmer-Watts suggested making it into a congee-type porridge instead, inspired by his travels in Asia.Several chefs who worked at the restaurant told the Guardian they rarely saw Blumenthal at Dinner, and that the day-to-day management was by Palmer-Watts, who was responsible for “translating” Blumenthal’s ideas into dishes that could be served to hundreds of diners a day.“Dinner was Ashley’s baby really, he was amazing,” said Will Murray, who worked at Dinner before opening his own restaurants, Fallow, Roe and Fowl.
“Working with Ashley at Dinner turned me from a completely undisciplined but passionate cook, to being a proper, disciplined chef,” he added.“Ashley, before he left, was the leader, our mentor.”Blumenthal said: “The suggestion that Dinner declined because of a falling out between Ashley and me simply isn’t accurate.Ashley and I had a long and successful working relationship, and I have a great deal of respect for him and the contribution he made to Dinner by Heston and to the wider business.He left the company in 2020, which was six years ago.
Restaurants evolve over time for many different reasons, but it would be wrong to attribute that to a personal dispute,”Chefs from the restaurant claimed there were disagreements between Blumenthal and the management of the Mandarin Oriental,They also noticed the restaurant’s star starting to fade when a host of controversies hit Blumenthal, including a creditors’ report in Australia that claimed the sister Dinner restaurant cheated workers out of $4,5m (£2,4m).
“I’m really sad it’s fallen on such hard times,” said a chef who worked at Dinner for years.“It wasn’t without its problems, the group has been struggling and there were big issues with leadership.”Another added: “We just tried to keep our heads down in the kitchen and not engage with any of the drama going on.There was mismanagement.”They claimed the restaurant also experienced downturns when Blumenthal lost his regular television gig on Channel 4, which had kept the chef and his restaurant in the public eye.
“We didn’t really do much on Instagram or social media, Heston preferred to keep an exclusive feel but that doesn’t bring in customers these days,” one chef said.Blumenthal’s spokesperson added: “There is no basis for claims of mismanagement or leadership failures.Dinner by Heston has maintained Michelin recognition and an international reputation for excellence throughout its residency.”
Fallouts and financial woes: inside Heston Blumenthal’s sinking empire
Dinner by Heston was once one of the world’s most revered restaurants, known for its decadent and unusual dishes such as the “meat fruit”.But Heston Blumenthal announced this week that he is winding down operations at the two Michelin-star restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Knightsbridge, London, saying it was because the tenancy had “finished”.However, current and former workers at Dinner claim the restaurant has been going downhill for years after Blumenthal fell out with his right-hand man, Ashley Palmer-Watts, who created the menu and ran the restaurant day to day before he left the business.“Closing the restaurant was not Heston’s choice whatsoever,” a senior source from the Mandarin Oriental told the Guardian. “The hotel chose not to renew the lease
Mother’s Day UK recipes: three delicious ideas to make for your mum from Ravinder Bhogal
Few things say “I love you” more than an unbidden cup of tea, but if you want to show true appreciation to the maternal figure in your life this Mother’s Day, there’s nothing better than a few indulgent snacks to go with it. I love the British tradition of afternoon tea, but I find finger sandwiches in hotel lobbies a little too fussy. I would much rather a fortifying savoury sandwich, a slab of good, old-fashioned cake and buttery biscuits that crumble into a million sweet crumbs.This very simple cake can be baked in a regular cake tin, but cooking it in a bundt tin makes it much more of a showstopper. If you want to forgo the icing, serve with a dollop of creme fraiche and berries instead
Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for caramelised white chocolate and rhubarb cheesecake | The sweet spot
It’s often my own impatience that forces me to make no-bake cheesecakes over baked ones. They’re not at all as faffy, though it’s pretty hard to beat the lighter, silkier texture you get with a baked version plus the extra effort is worth it on a special occasion such as Mother’s Day. I’ve sweetened the filling for this one with caramelised white chocolate – it brings a beautiful, creamy, dulce de leche-type caramel flavour that even the biggest white chocolate haters should enjoy. If making your own caramelised white chocolate feels a step too far, however, just buy bars of blond chocolate instead. Top with gently poached rhubarb for a pop of colour and to cut through the richness
Noma chef resigns amid allegations of physical abuse of staff
René Redzepi, the head chef and co-founder of Noma, has announced his resignation from his internationally acclaimed Copenhagen restaurant following allegations he physically abused his staff.Redzepi had been facing protests in Los Angeles before a four-month pop-up that launched this week. His resignation on Wednesday comes after the New York Times detailed allegations of physical and psychological abuse, including claims that he “punched employees in the face, jabbed them with kitchen implements and slammed them against walls”.He wrote in an Instagram story: “I’ve decided to step away and allow our extraordinary leaders to now guide the restaurant into its next chapter.”Redzepi said the recent weeks had “brought attention and important conversations about our restaurant, industry and my past leadership”, writing: “I have worked to be a better leader and Noma has taken big steps to transform the culture over many years
Light red wines for spring drinking
Can wine ever be good for you? The question has surely occurred to most of us after a night on the chȃteau de migraine, especially if we’ve read the increasingly dire warnings on alcohol consumption. Still, as with chocolate, a lot depends on what type of alcohol you drink. After all, a 90% cocoa solids situation is probably going to do less harm than, say, a family tub of Celebrations, and, while all alcohol is, I hate to break it to you, alcohol, there are definitely better choices you can make.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link
Rachel Roddy’s recipe for risotto in bianco | A kitchen in Rome
Parmigiano reggiano, grana padano, lodigiano, trentingrana and the other members of the grana-type cheese family (there are many, and all are worth seeking out) are far from cheap. Which is why it is important to use every last bit, including the rind with the last few millimetres of cheese still attached. That functions as a sort of highly flavoured and fatty stock cube that can be added to soups and stews. The best place to keep your precious rinds is in a plastic bag or airtight container in the freezer, which also preserves flavour and stops them drying out, until they’re pulled out and added directly to whatever needs a boost, or to make one of the nicest, most delicately flavoured and cheesy broths, which in turn makes a lovely risotto.I have written about risotto many times here, with each version a new favourite, and providing lessons in a dish that, regardless of how much I learn and practise, I am always chasing: the right proportions of rice to broth, as well as a pleasing consistency and texture
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