Fine dining's death by a thousand cuts, and at least a 250 bill

"When I first started taking clients out for dinner, you could sit under the copper dome of Le Gavroche, order a bottle of claret you'd never dare drink at home, and-after a couple of courses, a soufflé, and a few discreet nods from the maître d'-leave only mildly lighter in wallet and spirit. Today, on the same site, you can do much the same thing at Matt Abé's new venture Bonheur."

"I'm not one for false nostalgia-restaurants must evolve, chefs must be paid, and if anyone's earned the right to resurrect a Mayfair temple of gastronomy it's Abé. But there's a creeping sense that fine dining has priced itself into absurdity. And for once, it's not just about greedy restaurateurs; it's about the country we've built around them. Energy bills have soared."

"The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, would like us to believe that things are finally "stabilising". I've seen more stability in a soufflé during a Tube strike. Her Treasury may be trying to keep business afloat, but when small restaurants are seeing energy costs double, the effect is akin to throwing a life jacket to a man who's already under the water."

Fine dining has become significantly more expensive, with some two-person meals now costing around £250 before drinks. Rising energy costs hit restaurants that depend on gas ranges, refrigeration, and extensive lighting. Labour shortages and higher wages after Brexit have increased operating costs. High-precision kitchens rely on expensive, non-bulk ingredients, making economies of scale impossible. Government measures to stabilise business incomes have limited impact when small venues face doubled energy bills. The resulting price increases shift tasting menus from indulgence toward acts of financial survival for restaurateurs and diners.

Read at Business Matters