Maze Grill, Bread Street Kitchen and London House have all ceased to operate starting April 1, 2020
The latest casualties of the economic downturn are three Hong Kong restaurants by British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, which have already ceased operations starting today (April 1, 2020). Tatler Dining was informed of the news by Ramsay’s local partners, Dining Concepts, late on March 31, who confirmed that the closures would be permanent—unlike many temporary shut-downs that are being implemented in reaction to the ongoing coronavirus situation.
“It was not commercially viable to operate these restaurants after seven months of political unrest and now the COVID-19 crisis,” explained Garry Bissett, Director of Marketing for the restaurant group. Dining Concepts, one of the largest groups in Hong Kong, also shut Olive, Nahm, Craftsteak and Soho Spice recently. Similarly, fellow household name Jamie Oliver also closed his Hong Kong and Taipei branches of Jamie’s Italian at the end of February.
See also: After Decades In The Business, What’s Next For Gordon Ramsay?
The famously foul-mouthed chef first launched casual British concept Bread Street Kitchen in Central back in 2014, which relocated to The Peak in 2019. In 2016 he returned to the city to unveil his second project, London House, catering to pub fans in Tsim Sha Tsui East with ales and classics such as fish and chips. Maze Grill was his crown jewel, opening in the new Harbour City Ocean Terminal wing with a spectacular harbour view in 2018; Ramsay again paid a visit to Hong Kong, meeting fans over beef Wellington and Ploughman’s pork pie.
Ramsay’s last venture here was launched just this January. Plane Food at the Hong Kong International Airport, which opened in January this year, is still in operation—though for how long, with dwindling passenger numbers affecting airport business in an unprecedented way, remains to be the question. The outlet is run in partnership with food travel experts SSP and is not associated with Dining Concepts.
Back in London, Ramsay recently laid off more than 500 staff from his restaurant empire, with 12 outlets closing temporarily due to the pandemic.
See also: 8 Things You Can Do Right Now To Support Hong Kong's Restaurant Industry
