Chef Founder, Sven Hanson-Britt, has announced the closure of his debut London restaurant Oxeye.

The restaurant opened it's doors in 2021 but the former Masterchef: The Professionals winner has posted on social media that 'it's the end' for Oxeye.

He said: "I’ve tried everything in my power to save the restaurant, to keep fighting, to regain control, to fundraise, to remodel, to regroup, to reimagine, to restructure, but nothing could be done for my first restaurant and my third baby.

"I poured my whole heart into that space and I’m so, so grateful to all those that came through the doors - both sides of the pass. I’m absolutely confident, especially in the latter days, that the guests we welcomed received the best hospitality imaginable and undeniably, some of the best food in London, all from a hungry, dynamic and beautiful team."

He added: "I will forever be grateful for the hard work, the blood, sweat & tears, and the joy that was had in that space. The closure weighs heavy on my shoulders and in my heart. And it will for sometime. If you feel like you’re owed something from Oxeye, then someone should be in contact soon. I’ve been awol for a while coming to terms with everything, but as anyone who’s been through something similar knows, and is similarly inclined, the only way to move forward is to keep ramblin’ on.

"I always want to do everything with an honest heart, a kind perspective and a vision to change the world. I’m still working on that. This challenge will only make me a better husband, a better dad, a better employer, a better chef and a better hospitalitarian. I’m not sure what the next step is for me. I would love to carry on the Oxeye journey but perhaps now is a time for stability?

"Anyone that really knows me will know that it’s the risks, the relentless push, the new project, the glint in my eye when someone has a new “idea” that really gets me going. There will be something new coming, hopefully soon, for now I just need to say goodbye to Oxeye 1.0. Soon I will be ready to add something a bit more interesting to the staid & vapid restaurant scene that London is currently plagued with. I’m sorry to all those I’ve let down. I’m so so grateful to all those I’ve met along the way 🤍 thank you for your continued support."

Sven trained as a chef at Bournemouth and Poole College as one of their Specialised Chef Apprentices, run by the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts. He completed his apprenticeship at The Ritz.

In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall and restrict access – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 12 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 500,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.