West Cork Michelin star restaurant announces closure

A Michelin Star restaurant in Cork is closing down a year after obtaining the prestigious culinary award.

The co-owner of the Baltimore restaurant Mews, Robert Collender, announced the news on Instagram citing tight resources and an unsustainable future.

Writing on the social media network, Mr Collender said it had been an extraordinary journey from pop up to restaurant since beginning in 2015 but said the project had “run out of steam.” “Our uncompromising approach from the start- using only ingredients sourced direct from local farmers, market-gardeners, fishermen and foragers made an immediate and somewhat unexpected impact.

“We built a small but truly dedicated team and a tasting menu which elevated the local ingredients to a new level.” 

Mr Collender said that gaining a Michelin star was the greatest pleasure of his working life so far.

“While a Michelin star may seem a somewhat arbitrary goal, it is not one which is easily attained. I will forever remember the collective effort that our staff put in during that period. To say that it was beyond the call of duty does not nearly do it justice.” 

The co-owner, who ran the restaurant alongside James Ellis, said that he had no regrets about the venture and looked forward to working on other projects in Cork in the coming months and years.

“Cork has very much become my home and I look forward to the future here and projects new.”