Interlude, the fine-dining restaurant in central London that once held a Michelin star, has been sold to an Indian restaurant group.
Owner Charles Ullmann said the 50-seat Charlotte Street restaurant had developed into a "fabulous product" and was now getting rave reviews. "It's just that it takes a huge amount of money and a very long time to set these things up, and eventually the money runs out."
The restaurant closed its doors a fortnight ago but this week its telephone was still being answered with a recorded message saying it was shut for "urgent repairs".
The site has now been sold to Rasa, which owns restaurants in Stoke Newington, north London, and in Mayfair. Chairman Das Sreedharan said it would reopen in January under the name Rasa Samudra ("taste of the ocean"), serving south-west Indian seafood dishes.
He will pay £50,000 a year for the lease, and close to £500,000 for the premium and refurbishment costs. The new-look restaurant will have 90 seats. Head chef will be Anil Pallats and customers are expected to spend about £30 each. "The food is completely different from high-street curry houses. It's light, simple and healthy," said Sreedharan.
Interlude, previously Interlude de Chavot, opened in August 1995. It won a Michelin star in 1996, but lost it this year after the departure of head chef Eric Crouilläre-Chavot in early 1997.
He was replaced by Anand Sastry, who lasted only until November, when he in turn was replaced by Paul Merrett. The restaurant was given a £50,000 face-lift and the menu was revamped with a "lighter" style.
Ullmann said this week: "We set up Interlude on the premise that not all customers wanted to eat in mega-dome, style-fixated, see-who's-eating-at-the-next-table type eateries. Maybe there are not enough customers willing to spend their hard-earned cash on new names on the block… It does seem like they are a load of sheep."
By David Shrimpton