The restaurant, run by Lee and Kate Tiernan, will have its last service on 20 December as the pair ‘hit pause’ on operating their project.
Lee, who was previously head chef of St John Bread and Wine, opened Black Axe Mangal as it was formerly known as a six-week kebab pop-up with Kate in the backyard of a Copenhagen night club in 2014.
The pair opened a permanent site for Black Axe Mangal in Islington the following year.
The restaurant closed during lockdown, reopening as FKABAM, standing for ‘Formerly Known as Black Axe Mangal’.
“FKABAM turned 10 years old this September, 11 if we’re counting our short and sweet pop-up in Copenhagen where it all began. Being original, creative and keeping it fun for ourselves – as well as our customers – has always been the centre of why we do this. So how do you celebrate 10 years of running a restaurant? Well, in our case, it’s changing things up while it still feels good," Lee says.
“I love and value all we have achieved with FKABAM and will continue cooking in our unique style, turning up the volume at events and future collaborations.
“It has been a somewhat difficult year outside the restaurant, but thanks to our brilliant, talented team, we’ve been able to step back a little to focus on our family, get some perspective, and this is where we’ve landed.”
Lee describes the closure as a ‘pause not a stop’ and says he wants to focus his creative energy towards a ‘pop-up’ within his own restaurant space.
He adds: “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their continued support, custom and friendship over the past decade.
“As Ferris Bueller wisely said, ‘Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.’ He was right”.