winner Simon Wood has hit back at diners who left “harsh” restaurant reviews online, just months after criticising “no shows” who don’t cancel ahead of their reservations.
In his lengthy post, took to LinkedIn to slam well-known review websites such as OpenTable, Tripadvisor and Google.
He claimed they have become “spaces where a restaurant’s reputation can be unfairly destroyed by people who may lack understanding, knowledge or even the decency to give honest feedback”.
Simon added: “Constructive feedback is always welcome and appreciated, but unfiltered negativity or dishonesty?”
Defending the eateries, he claimed: “Restaurants aren’t faceless businesses. They’re built on the hard work, passion and livelihoods of the people behind them.”
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Simon Wood on MasterChef in 2015. (Image: BBC)
The chef continued: “A single review can ripple through a team, not just as a hit to the business but to the people who pour their hearts into creating something special … That’s not only unfair – it’s damaging,” Simon concluded.
In the comments, other business owners agreed with the 48-year-old including one who said: “I’ve had a bad review from someone criticising a product I don’t sell,” as another noted: “Always amazes me the lack of thought that some people have when leaving reviews some come across as if they actually want people sacked.”
This comes just a few months after the MasterChef star was forced to close down his fine-dining restaurant, Wood Manchester due to financial pressures.
In October, Simon told his X followers that the eatery would close immediately after seven years in business, which he put down to “an increasingly difficult marketplace”.
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RESTAURANT REVIEW PLATFORMSWhat do you think?
— Simon Wood (@SimonJWoodUK)
He also pointed at rising cost of bills and ingredients and rent arrears built up over the pandemic all contributed to the decision.
At the time, Simon also hit out at the “outrageous” attitudes from some customers after a table of five “no-showed” without notice, which came with a photo of an empty table alongside the caption: “What a way to support a small business.”
In the statement, the chef said it was with “much regret I must close the doors here at WOOD for good”.
He also thanked customers, staff and suppliers for their support and said he was “very proud of what the team and I have achieved”.