London's fine dining scene is in chaos: Heston Blumenthal's shutting down Dinner by Heston after years of decline, René Redzepi's stepped back from Noma following abuse allegations, and a loud Georgian restaurant just opened on Heddon Street to packed tables.

When the Magic Fades

This week Heston Blumenthal announced he's closing Dinner by Heston, his two-star restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge. Blumenthal attributed the closure to the tenancy having "finished." But insiders tell a different story: the restaurant's been dying for years.

A Mandarin Oriental insider disputes this: the hotel simply didn't renew the lease. "Closing the restaurant was not Heston's choice whatsoever," the source told The Guardian. Once Palmer-Watts left six years ago—the guy who built the menu and ran the place day-to-day—everything fell apart. "It went off the boil. When Ashley left, so did most of the core team," the source added, citing instances of the restaurant being "empty" on Sunday lunchtimes – a surprising sight for a two-Michelin-star venue.

Blumenthal's representative, however, challenged claims of underperformance, describing Dinner as a "highly regarded and popular part of our portfolio." Still, the wider Blumenthal restaurant group, which includes the three Michelin-star Fat Duck in Bray and the Hind's Head pub, has faced its own financial challenges. SL6 Ltd, the company behind these ventures, reported a £2.1m loss last year, an increase from £1.4m the previous year. Directors blamed "wage inflation" and "economic uncertainties" for affecting customer spending.

The firm even faced a winding-up petition from HMRC last month, though Blumenthal's spokesperson confirmed this payment was made in full and the petition withdrawn, adding that Dinner by Heston's finances were managed by the Mandarin Oriental.

Ashley Palmer-Watts, who learned of Dinner's closure through the press, expressed a "bittersweet moment." He hasn't spoken to Blumenthal since his departure and now co-owns and designs the menu for the award-winning London pub, The Devonshire, alongside his own spirits line. Palmer-Watts takes pride in the fact that the restaurant maintained its Michelin stars for six years after he left, believing it showcased the strong foundations he put in place.

Mastheads

The Reckoning at the Top

René Redzepi's quit as head chef at Noma and stepped off the board of MAD, the non-profit he started to help young chefs. The New York Times exposed what dozens of ex-staff had been saying: Redzepi created a brutal kitchen where he'd shout, threaten, and push people around.

Redzepi addressed the accusations on Instagram, stating, "An apology isn't enough; I take responsibility for my own actions." He admitted to having "shouted and pushed people, acting in ways that are unacceptable," and shared that he had sought therapy to manage his anger. Protesters showed up outside Noma's LA pop-up anyway, with groups like One Fair Wage demanding he go.

Saru Jayaraman, a member of the group, questioned, "Who wants to eat in an environment of abuse... Food that comes from the tears and sweat of people who are suffering?"

The controversy led several corporate sponsors, including American Express, to withdraw from Noma's 16-week dinner series in Los Angeles. Still, $1,500-a-head reservations sold out in minutes—the Noma name's still magic, scandal or not. Redzepi says the team's carrying on without him in LA, and he's proud of what they've built over 23 years.

Enter DakaDaka

While the big names implode, London's restaurant scene keeps moving forward. DakaDaka just opened on Heddon Street—a loud, chaotic Georgian place that feels like Tbilisi at 2am. Heddon Street's always been rowdy, and now it's got DakaDaka to match.

DakaDaka eschews the quiet sophistication of its neighbours like Sabor and Piccolino. Instead, it immerses diners in a loud, enthusiastic atmosphere, playing Georgian dance music as patrons enjoy dishes such as badrijani (grilled aubergines), imeruli (cheese-filled flatbread), and kababi (lamb skewers). Black brick, candles, metal everywhere—it's designed to feel like you've stumbled into a 2am lock-in on some Tbilisi back street, complete with pottery and folk art on the walls.

The menu extends to lobio (kidney bean hummus), khinkali (dumplings), grape salads, and nakhvatsa (corn crisps). The open kitchen's absolute mayhem—like 87 people on stage at Live Aid who don't know the words—with live fire cooking throwing heat everywhere. They've got 100 Georgian natural wines by the glass, including a feisty 2021 Kakheti, plus a Georgian twist on the Vesper. But the real magic is the floor staff—these brilliant women who know their stuff, crack jokes, and run the place like they own it. The DakaDaka concept together, guiding diners through the menu with pride and aplomb.

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This diverse snapshot of the restaurant industry reveals a sector navigating profound changes, from the financial pressures forcing iconic closures to the ethical demands reshaping workplace cultures, all while new, energetic culinary experiences continue to emerge.

This article was created with AI assistance.