BBC’s Great British Menu star suddenly shuts top restaurant to ‘focus on his health’ & admits ‘I need to slow down’
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A BBC Great British Menu Star has suddenly shut down his top restaurant to "focus on his health", admitting "I need to slow down". Budgie Montoya was tragically forced to call time on his London-based Apoy after less than a year, due to heart problems.
![[Portrait of Budgie Montoya.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/shock-closure-bbc-s-great-962827529.jpg?strip=all&w=480)
Launched in May last year, the joint served up flavours from Budgie's native country of the Philippines - which he first showcased on Series 18 of the cooking show in 2023. In a statement shared to Instagram on New Year's Eve, the chef said he needed to take a break from the fast-paced restaurant industry to concentrate on his own wellbeing.
![[Apoy Filipino BBQ restaurant stall.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/shock-closure-bbc-s-great-962829045.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
He said: "Adjusting my life to live with heart failure has forced me to confront some difficult realities. "This industry, this world I love, so deeply demands so much. "And while I’ve given it everything I’ve got, it’s time to listen to what my body’s been trying to tell me.".
![[Chef plating food in a restaurant kitchen.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/shock-closure-bbc-s-great-962829165.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The Filipino-Australian was also sadly forced to close his other restaurant, Sarap, a Filipino barbecue joint in south London, back in 2022 due to the effects of the pandemic. He added: “From Sarap to Apoy, I’ve carried the dream of sharing Filipino cuisine with the world.
![[Chef slicing roasted pork belly.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/shock-closure-bbc-s-great-962829238.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
"I can’t say I achieved everything I set out to, but I know I gave it my all. "If I managed to crack open even one door for another Filipino chef, or inspire someone to cook our food with pride, then every sacrifice was worth it.". However, Budgie's stressed that Apoy's closure would not mark his permanent exit from the industry.
![[Apoy Filipino BBQ restaurant interior with a chef preparing food.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/shock-closure-bbc-s-great-962827840.jpg?strip=all&w=720)
