The restaurant, which was backed by Las Iguanas founder Eren Ali, was unable to capitalise on Roots’ fame. He is best known for creating Reggae Reggae hot sauce, with his products available in the majority of supermarket chains.
Posting on Twitter, Roots apologised to customers about the closure, writing: “SO SORRY! Unfortunately I have to announce my restaurant @levismokehouse is closing today! most dreadful thing is letting down my brilliant team, tried my utter most to avoid this but the party is over and all good things come to and (sic) end. So sorry to the customers too.”
Celebrity chef Roots shot to fame after appearing on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den with his Reggae Reggae sauce, added that the most dreadful thing was letting down his “brilliant” team.
The restaurant opened in Westfield in December 2015 and served ‘authentic, accessible Caribbean cuisine. Dishes on the menu included Bajan fish cakes; Trinidadian ‘doubles’ – hot curried chickpeas and fresh vegetables served on double crispy flat breads; Martinique coconut chicken curry; steamed yams, green banana and dumplings; and Jamaican coco bread.
