Galvin brothers to quit Edinburgh as they leave Waldorf Astoria restaurants

In the first foray outside London the Michelin-starred chefs turned the heat up on the city foodie scene in 2012 with the opening of high-end The Pompadour by Galvin and a Galvin Brasserie de Luxe on the ground floor of west ends Waldorf Astoria - The Caledonian.

Michelin starred chef brothers Jeff and Chris Galvin.

But now brothers Chris and Jeff have said they will no longer have any involvement in the hotel, which was bought last year for £85 million by Abu Dhabi-based hospitality Twenty14 Holdings – the hospitality investment arm of Lulu Group International.

No final date has been announced but the restaurants, famed for producing award-winning classic French dishes, will close “in the next few months”.

The brothers said: “We have been operating the restaurants at the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh since 2012, but our arrangement will come to a close by mutual agreement in the next few months and we will no longer have an involvement in the hotel.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank Waldorf Astoria and the owners for their support and the combined efforts on both sides to deliver two award winning restaurants - The Pompadour and Galvin Brasserie De Luxe.

“Special thanks must also go to all the incredible team members who have been a huge part of our Scottish restaurants over the past seven years.

“Our focus will now be towards our current estate and new openings in the year ahead.”

The Waldorf Astoria will continue to run fine dining restaurant The Pompadour after the Glavin brothers leave, headed up by 2018 chef of the year Daniel Ashmore. There will also continue to be a brasserie style offering at the hotel.

Dale MacPhee, General Manager at the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian said: “The Galvins have contributed a huge amount of energy and enthusiasm to our two restaurant offerings over the past seven years since we became a Waldorf Astoria property. However, our arrangement has come to a natural end this year and both parties reviewed this as an opportunity to pursue new directions.

“It is important to keep our offering fresh and innovative in the competitive Edinburgh restaurant scene and we will have a new operator taking over the Brasserie imminently. As for our fine dining restaurant, The Pompadour, this continues to go from strength to strength under the leadership of Executive Chef, Dan Ashmore and his award-winning team.”

The announcement comes after one of the brothers best-loved London restaurants has also met the chop after the owners said they lost a fifth of its staff in the wake of the vote to leave the European Union.

The Galvin Bistrot de Luxe in Baker Street, Marylebone, closed on February 10 last year after 12 years.

“In the world’s great cities things do not stand still. Tastes change and also, as creative chefs, we are restless and now want to do new things not just endlessly repeat the same style of cooking,” the brothers said at the time.

The Galvin portfolio includes a new restaurant for corporate hospitality at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club’s new stadium and the Galvin Bistrot & Bar in Dubai.

Recent teasers on social media from celebrated Edinburgh chef Mark Greenaway suggest he is on the cusp of announcing the opening of a new restaurant in the West End.

The award-winning chef, whose North Castle Street venture Restaurant Mark Greenaway, the only Scottish restaurant awarded and retained three AA Rosettes, closed last year.

At the time Mark said that it was time for a new challenge.

He said: “Though we will be using the same team and suppliers that have contributed so much to the success of Restaurant Mark Greenaway, the new venture will feel completely different. Our intention is to boldly challenge the concept of fine dining in the heart of Edinburgh.”

“For it to come off, it has taken a building of a certain size and a lot of money. The new concept is so different: it won’t have tablecloths or waiters in waistcoats and ties. It will still be fine dining, but with a much more relaxed atmosphere and the restaurant will have much more theatre with it. We wanted something exciting and the plans for this new place are exciting.”

A recent Instagram video on the chef’s page showed traffic passing Queen Street with the caption “the wait is almost over. Goodbye, New Town. Followed by a video capturing the hustle and bustle at the top of Queensferry Street.