Tom Aikens in administration, others teeter

Unfortunately the blood-letting has started.

Tom Aikens and Tom's Kitchen, the eponymous restaurants of the c'leb chef, have gone into administration, following the closure of his chippie.

High-end restaurants are notoriously expensive and rarely make a profit, as Ferran Adrià explains, so the demise of Tom Aikens is not a surprise. According to The Caterer, the business has been bought by management, which I'm assuming includes Aikens himself. 

Aikens' continued involvement would explain the wrath of some of his suppliers.  Suppliers always get hit when businesses go into administration, that's the point of the administration laws, to protect companies from their creditors and allow them to keep trading.  But from the perspective of his suppliers, they lose out whilst the business continues.  These suppliers aren't selling pads and pens.  Their excellent produce ensures his excellent food and provenance is something he has always been only too aware of.

Having said all that, both the Aikens' restaurants are still trading and to serve food they will need suppliers to deliver ingredients.  One has to assume that for suppliers to agree to do so, Aikens will reach an arrangement with them regarding the outstanding invoices.  Or, find new suppliers.  Or, the businesses only trade for a short period of time before going completely belly-up and therefore leaving suppliers and employees high and dry.

I've also heard that another restaurant group, with a piscine theme, is soon to follow a similar path to the Aikens' empire.

The rumour mill is working overtime at the moment and I heard particularly sad news about a restaurant far closer to my heart than either of these two businesses.  This is going to get very ugly.  If you can, stick by the establishments you want to be eating in in twelve months time.

Comments

[Douglas]

A very thoughtful post. Unlike forum haunters, may I say that you have been assertive in your appraisal of the situation. Ramsay was in many ways ahead of the game in terms of his pub activities. It is a curious time: watching 200 cover restaurants open as money is fleeting...

[simon]

Should anyone who has ever met the man expect anything other than this behaviour from Mr Aikens. He might be able to cook, but his restaurant was always less than welcoming and left you feeling the eating of the food was always an inconvenience to the real aim - getting your money. And then there's the arrogance of the man himself...

[Anthony Silverbrow]

Many thanks Douglas.

Simon, I've heard others express similar sentiments. Clearly he is not a well liked man.

[paul]

Given what has happend to Tom Aikens and his backers pulling out and given the current finacial crisis hope the same thing does not happen to Claude Bosi and his restaurant Hibiscus IMO