Kamshi Ahmed
A well-known chef whose restaurant earned Leeds’s first Michelin star in a decade has closed his latest venture in the city after just seven months.
Michael O’Hare ran The Man Behind The Curtain on Vicar Lane from 2014 before rebranding it as seafood-focused Psycho Sandbar in March.
The Man Behind The Curtain was awarded the Michelin honour in 2015 and was the only restaurant in the city to hold the recognition.
Mr O’Hare said the decision to close was “very much based on my exciting plans for the future, but is reflective of the changing experience market in which we all live”.
In a statement released on Thursday, he said he was “incredibly proud” of his and his team’s work over the last decade.
“We’ve achieved so much and Leeds will always be special to me, I’m honoured to have played my part in the culinary history of this great city,” he said.
Mr O’Hare had previously appeared on shows including Great British Menu and Masterchef.
Described on Great British Menu as a “maverick chef”, he was known for his unusual and unique dishes.
Speaking to the news in March, he said “having a top restaurant is good for the city”.
“The majority of our guests haven’t been from the local area. All these things add to the economy of the area, it is super important.”
