"Things need to change because the world has changed and I’ve changed"

The Staff Canteen

Michelin-starred chef Michael O’Hare has announced that his famed The Man Behind The Curtain restaurant will close at the end of the year and relaunch as new concept, Psycho Sandbar.

Announcing the news via his social media, Michael revealed the new restaurant will be more accessible than the current offering, having a surf shack feel combined with a brutalist design.

He added that the move was in response to Britain’s changing restaurant landscape following Brexit, the pandemic, and ongoing cost of living crisis.

“Things need to change because the world has changed and I’ve changed, my team has changed,” Michael explained.

Guests visiting Psycho Sandbar in the new year can expect a fish heavy menu, moving away from restaurant’s current set menu, giving diners more flexibility.

Commenting on what diners can expect, Michael added: “It will be a surf shacky kind of restaurant that is brutalist in design where you can eat beautifully

grilled fish, pitta bread with plankton champagne cocktails, whatever you want.”

He added: “You can do six plates and have whole roast duck if you want, we just want to categorise things in a way that’s like ‘this is the product, that’s what we are going to do to it and that’s how much it costs' and if you want it.”

It’s understood that the restaurant will continue to offer a fine dining experience but in a much more accessible way.

The relaunch comes after Michael unveiled a ‘menu rapide’ at the restaurant to encourage more people to dine with him, allowing guests to choose from a four-course lunch for £40 or a six-course dinner for £60.

The Man Behind The Curtain’s last service will be 31 December, before closing for a few weeks to later reopen as Psycho Sandbar in 2024.

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The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 23rd October 2023

"Things need to change because the world has changed and I’ve changed"