Michelin-starred chef who appeared on MasterChef suddenly closes restaurant & cancels all future bookings after relaunch
A MICHELIN-starred chef who previously appeared on MasterChef has suddenly closed his restaurant.
Peter Sanchez-Iglesias said the Bristol-based Italian restaurant, Casa Bristol, was closing until further notice.
The West Country restaurateur, who also owns the Spanish-Mexican restaurant Decimo in London, guided contestants through a cooking challenge there in last year's series of amateur MasterChef.
His third restaurant, Paco Tapas in Bristol, lost its Michelin star this year.
A statement on the restaurant's website said: “At this moment, we are closed for future bookings. If you’re looking to book a restaurant, please check out our sister restaurant, Paco Tapas.
“All vouchers for Casa will be honoured at Paco Tapas.
Read more Money News
"If you have any concerns or queries, please contact us at info@casamiarestaurant.co.uk.”
Customers rushed to Reddit to discuss why the mysterious closure had occurred.
One was keen to praise the restaurant's legacy in the area.
They wrote: "What you do have to say is that this restaurant has improved the quality of food served in restaurants across the city and many chefs have gone through this restaurant to become top-tier chefs and gone on to open their own restaurants or projects in the city.
Most read in Money
"If it is closed for good this restaurant has an excellent legacy.
"Only eaten here once, but one of the dishes was the best tortellini I have ever eaten."
Another speculated that Peter was "bored on Bristol", with a third echoing that he had perhaps "been more focused on London at Decimo".
Peter's parents were also in the business - opening their restaurant Casamia in 1999.
Peter worked there from the age of 16 along with his brother Jonray, eventually leading it to its first Michelin star in 2009.
After Casamia's closure in 2022, Peter decided to relaunch and rebrand the restaurant as Casa.
It was designed to have a more casual vibe, with authentic Italian comfort dishes like potato ravioli and mushroom ragu.
But the joint never achieved the Michelin-star status of its predecessor.
Casa Bristol has been contacted by the Sun for comment.
This comes as multiple other UK-based restaurants shut their doors for business this year.
The Cornwall Street restaurant Purnell's shut up shop earlier this month - led by another Gordon Ramsay-trained chef, Glynn Purnell.
After serving guests for 17 years, Purnell's will no longer be open for business.
Chef Glynn Purnell described the flagship restaurant as his "proudest moment".
Having opened the site in 2007, Chef Glynn had previously trained with Gordon Ramsay, Claude Bosi and Gary Rhodes.
The chef suggested that the closure comes as "things have moved on" and the pressures faced by the hospitality industry have contributed to the decision.
Just before this, TV star Simon Rimmer's last remaining Greens restaurant announced its closure on September 17 - just months after the original shut its doors.
For celebrity chef Michael Caines it was a double blow as he announced he was selling not just one but two of his popular restaurants last month, in Exmouth.
What is happening in the hospitality industry?
Food and drink chains in general have been suffering as the cost of living has led to fewer people spending on eating out.
Businesses had been struggling to bounce back after the pandemic, only to be hit with soaring energy bills and inflation.
Multiple chains have been affected, resulting in big-name brands like Wetherspoons and Frankie & Benny's closing branches.
Revolution Bars Group shuttered 11 locations on August 11 as part of a major overhaul.
It added a further undisclosed site will close, or has already closed.
The chain currently operates 38 Revolution-branded sites across the UK.
Bars will welcome in guests for the final time in Blackpool, Chester and Norwich next month.
Plus, Premier Inn owner Whitbread is set to axe 1,500 jobs and close over 200 restaurants and pubs in the coming months.
Whitbread plans to slash its chain of branded restaurants across the UK in favour of building more hotel rooms.
Elsewhere, some chains have not survived, Byron Burger fell into administration last year.
Pizza giant, Papa Johns announced plans earlier this year to shut down 43 of its stores.
Tasty, the owner of Wildwood, said it will shutter the sites as part of major restructuring plans.
The brand also announced plans to close 20 loss-making restaurants after a “challenging” start to the year.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Britain's biggest pub company, Stonegate, previously raised fears about its survival as it races to plug its debts.
Stonegate owns 4,432 sites across the UK under the Slug & Lettuce, Be at One, Sports Bar & Grill brands and 350 traditional style pubs under its “Proper Pubs” banner.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Plus, you can join our Facebook group to share your tips and stories