Gordon Ramsay: FAIL

Gordon Ramsay’s Maze Restaurant at The One&Only has closed down after only 15 months of being open.

Ramsay, who attended the launch in April 2009, had visited two months ago when he was made aware it was experiencing financial problems. The restaurant, amid some bad PR and very mixed reviews, has never really taken off since the opening, leading to crisis talks between Ramsay and Sol Kerzner, the hotel magnate who owns the One & Only group.

Gordon Ramsay Holdings (GRH) and Mr Kerzner met recently to discuss the situation and agreed that the business was not working.  At midnight on Thursday Kerzner gave instructions for the restaurant to be closed down.

Gordon Ramsay Holdings said: ‘GRH Ltd is purely a consultant to Maze, One&Only, Cape Town. We were aware the hotel has been having difficulties but they only informed us of their decision to close Maze this morning.

‘We will review our contractual agreement with them. Maze restaurants in the UK and around the world are performing well, with the recent opening of Maze, Melbourne, exceeding expectations.’

Jason Atherton, who created Maze, quit Gordon Ramsay Holdings in April this year. He was followed by his London successor, James Durrant, whose resignation was announced on July 1.  Maze Cape Town’s executive chef Philip Carmichael followed shortly after the World Cup.

Maze Prague has already closed, which leaves the chain with 4 operating outlets: London, New York, Doha and Melbourne.

So who will take over the space at Maze after giving Gordon the boot?  According to local blog spill.co.za it’s going to be SA’s own Reuben Riffel.

Exciting times ahead.