Vineet Bhatia to Close Just One Week After Winning a Michelin Star

Vineet Bhatia’s flagship Chelsea restaurant Vineet Bhatia London (VBL) has closed just one week after winning a Michelin star.

The news was announced on VBL’s website and social media pages over the weekend, the posts confirming that 8 October would see Bhatia and his wife Rashima complete their last service at the Chelsea townhouse they have occupied together since 2004. No explanation has yet been given about its sudden closure; a Twitter post from Bhatia merely said, “VBL needs to move out for a fresh start.”

The Mumbai-born chef has restaurants across the globe but calls Chelsea home, so the decision would not have been taken lightly, and it remains unclear whether the restaurant will move to a new premises in London. “We’ll see” was Bhatia’s response when asked that very question over Facebook.

Formerly the Michelin-starred restaurant Rasoi, just off Kings Road relaunched as VBL last autumn, swiftly winning over critics with its ambitious tasting menus and eclectic interiors. Having held a star for 12 years as Rasoi, the award of another for VBL seemed inevitable, and such acclaim duly arrived with the release of the 2018 UK Michelin Guide last week, one of only eight new stars in the capital.

Check back for further details and any updates on when and whether the operators relocate.