Pep Guardiola's Manchester restaurant Tast has been forced to close its fine-dining concept Enxaneta for the summer, citing a staffing crisis exacerbated by Brexit. The restaurant's director, Sandra Martorell, said the decision was made to prevent staff burnout after many employees returned to Spain during the pandemic and found it too complicated to return due to new immigration rules.
Enxaneta, located on the top floor of Tast on King Street, had been tipped for a Michelin star since opening in 2019. The closure allows the restaurant to focus on its main offering while protecting employee wellbeing. Martorell stated, 'I'd rather cut a bit of my business to give my staff what they deserve.'
The restaurant had been struggling to maintain production levels with reduced staff, with chefs sometimes starting as early as 8am to prepare handmade croquettas. Martorell noted that while they have great local staff, most of their team traditionally comes from Spain, and Brexit has made recruitment from there 'very difficult.'
An official statement from Tast said: 'We simply cannot operate both Tast and Enxaneta without risking burning out our team... They have supported us through the toughest year and now we must support them.' The restaurant hopes to rebuild its workforce during the three-month closure and reopen fully in autumn.
