MasterChef judge Monica Galetti to close restaurant as post-Brexit rules plague hospitality industry

MasterChef star Monica Galetti has announced the imminent closure of her London restaurant, Mere, as post-Brexit rules continue to savage the UK hospitality industry.

The Samoan-New Zealand chef told patrons of the upmarket establishment on Wednesday (10 April) that it was the “right time” to close its doors.

A message on the website reads: “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the closure of Mere restaurant – but we feel this is the right time after 7yrs!”

The final service at Mere will take place on Tuesday 16 April.

Galetti, known to many for being a judge on MasterChef: The Professionals, established the restaurant in 2017 with her husband, David Galetti.

Named after Galetti’s mother, Mere specialises in South Pacific and French cuisines, and is described as “an elegant and contemporary restaurant, offering a relaxed yet refined dining experience”.

Earlier this year, the restaurant appeared in the Michelin guide as “recommended”, one level below the accolade of a Michelin star.

While Galetti has not detailed the specifics behind her decision, the closure comes amid an increasingly difficult time for Britain’s hospitality sector.

This week, strict new post-Brexit rules came into force preventing thousands of Italian waiters from moving to the capital to work in restaurants.

New British regulation raised the minimum salary threshold for a skilled work visa from £26,000 to £38,700 - beyond the pay for many restaurants which operate within increasingly tight margins.

In January, it was reported that there were more than 10 venue closures every day, with industry data revealing that the number of licensed premises in Britain fell by 3.6 per cent from 103,682 to 99,916 in the year to September.

The hospitality industry says it is crumbling under the joint pressures of rocketing energy, rent, and food bills, staff shortages, and no-show bookings, amid the ongoing cost of living crisis and the after-effects of Covid and Brexit.

A survey last year by the Office for National Statistics laid bare the damage that has been done to the industry by leaving the EU. In just two years the number of jobs held by EU nationals in food and accomodation services fell by 25 per cent.

Celebrity chef and restaurateur Tom Kerridge told The Independent in January that the hospitality sector is facing “a number of massive issues”, with his business having lost more than £1m since Covid hit.

Galetti left her role on MasterChef after struggling to find the balance between running a restaurant alongside spending time with her family and the demands of filming.

Speaking on The One Show at the time, Galetti explained: “I’ve only been able to commit time to the show for three months when my team are strong, and I can have the balance of family, the restaurant and all my other commitments.”

She added: “When I’m filming, people don’t realise I do a 12-hour day of filming, and then I will get back to the restaurant in the evening.

“But at the moment, things are just out of sync, things are tough at the moment.”

Galetti’s nephew had also received a cancer diagnosis, which had contributed to her decision to step back from filming. However, she rejoined the programme after a year.

Though Galetti gave no specific reason for the restaurant’s closure, it comes as the hospitality industry continues to report difficulties amid a tough economic climate.

The Independent has contacted Galetti for comment.