Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal has revealed that his acclaimed London restaurant Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will permanently shut its doors in January 2027, marking the end of a 16-year tenure at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park.
The two-Michelin-starred establishment, which first welcomed diners in 2011, will close as its lease at the Knightsbridge hotel comes to an end.
Mr Blumenthal described the decision as emotionally complex in an interview with The Times: "I've got a year to wrap my head around it.
"There are some huge feelings there; sadness. It's bittersweet, but it has run its natural course. We are effectively tenants in a building and our tenancy is finished."
Heston Blumenthal is shutting the doors of one of his award-winning restaurants
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The lease was originally scheduled to conclude this summer but was extended by six months by mutual agreement.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal achieved huge success from the outset, securing its first Michelin star within 12 months of opening and adding a second the following year.
The restaurant stood out from the competition thanks to its exploration of historical British dishes, presenting centuries-old recipes to contemporary diners through modern culinary techniques.
Mr Blumenthal and his team delved into archives and consulted historians to unearth forgotten dishes dating back to the 14th century.
Heston Blumenthal's restaurants are well-known across the globe
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The signature creation, meat fruit—a chicken liver parfait disguised as a mandarin beneath a layer of orange jelly—became the most photographed dish on Instagram in 2011, requiring three chefs five hours daily to produce approximately 900 portions weekly.
For over a decade, the restaurant maintained its position among the world's 50 best, welcoming nearly one million guests throughout its residency.
The closure is indicative of broader pressures facing Britain's hospitality sector, with Mr Blumenthal citing food inflation, increasing wages, and the cost-of-living crisis as contributing factors.
"In these times, most restaurants are suffering in one way or another," he told The Times. "It's exacerbated by the fact that food prices are rising."
Heston Blumenthal called the decision to close the restaurant 'bittersweet'
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The chef acknowledged the complexities of operating within a hotel partnership: "We chose to partner with the Mandarin because of their level of service.
"But they've got budgets, and budgets don't always meet up. Sometimes they do. It's one of the things that you are always going to be getting with a tenancy and a restaurant in the hotel."
His parent company, SL6 Ltd, recorded post-tax losses rising from £1.4 million in 2023 to £2.1 million in 2024.
To mark the restaurant's final year, Mr Blumenthal has introduced an eight-course tasting menu priced at £195 entitled A Journey Through History, featuring dishes spanning five centuries of British culinary heritage.
Heston Blumenthal is one of Britain's best-known celebrity chefs
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The celebratory menu includes revived classics such as powdered duck with buttered turnips and black truffle, alongside the beloved meat fruit and tipsy cake with spit-roasted pineapple.
Mr Blumenthal indicated he is exploring alternative locations for the Dinner concept, seeking a similarly sized venue with a view, and has held discussions with his team at Atlantis The Royal in Dubai.
The chef plans to divide his time between the Fat Duck in Bray and his home in Provence.
Philippe Kronberg, general manager at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, said: "The restaurant has helped shape our identity as a destination for world-class dining and left a lasting mark on London's culinary landscape."