Pierre Koffmann Closing London Restaurant at the Berkeley

(Bloomberg) -- Pierre Koffmann, who mentored a generation of British chefs including Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay, plans to shutter his London restaurant at the end of this year.

Koffmann's at the Berkeley will close as the hotel plans to redevelop the site. The French-born culinary master opened the restaurant in 2010 for what was originally planned as a three-year residency. The Berkeley has yet to announce details of the development and said in a statement today that it is working on future plans with Koffmann and his wife, Claire.

The French-born chef, who is celebrating 50 years in the kitchen this year, previously held three Michelin stars at La Tante Claire, where proteges included Pierre White and Ramsay. He closed that restaurant in 2003 and was lured out of retirement in 2009 to host a pop-up establishment on the roof of Selfridges. He moved into the Berkeley the following June.

"I would have loved to stay for a few more years, to be honest," Koffmann said in an interview.  "I really enjoyed cooking in a restaurant again. The kitchen is where I am happy. But we knew from the beginning it was only for a few years because the plan was to expand that side of the hotel. It was part of the deal when I came to open Koffmann's.

"When the restaurant closes, I'll just carry on — same life. I am not going to go on holiday. I don't really enjoy holidays. I'll try to look for something new to happen."

Possibilities might include another restaurant or a cooking school.

Richard Vines is chief food critic at Bloomberg. Follow him on Twitter @richardvines and on Instagram @richard.vines 

To contact the author of this story: Richard Vines in London at rvines@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Timothy Coulter at tcoulter@bloomberg.net.