Salt Yard Group to open fourth restaurant Ember Yard next week

Salt Yard Group co-founder Simon Mullins and Chef Director Ben Tish will open their fourth restaurant Ember Yard on Berwick Street in London’s Soho next Tuesday.

The new opening takes inspiration from Spanish and Italian methods of cooking over charcoal and joins the list of current Salt Yard Group restaurants Opera Tavern, Salt Yard and Dehesa.

Simon said: “We had the idea for this restaurant several years ago and are thrilled to see it finally come to fruition. There’s something primal about the method and flavours of cooking over charcoal and Ember Yard will be a unique and exciting take on this back to basics approach.”

The devised menu will almost entirely be cooked on a custom built charcoal fired grill which will serve as the centre piece of the open plan kitchen. Some dishes will also be hot or cold smoked and flavoured using various types of wood including Sherry barrel.

Highlights from the menu designed by Ben Tish include smoked bream carpaccio with blood orange and bottarga, hot smoked old spot pork belly with Basque cider glaze and hot chocolate ganacha with salted caramel ice cream. Jacques Fourie, who has worked as sous chef at Salt Yard for five years, will act as head chef of this new restaurant.

The interior of Ember Yard, like all Salt Yard Group restaurants, has been designed in-house and is influenced by both art nouveau and art deco styles. The use of natural materials like wood, brass, copper and steel blend seamlessly with stained glass and polished plaster. The stylish design continues downstairs, where guests can enjoy a meal on the banquette by the exposed wine vaults or cosy away in the private dining area that can accommodate up to 20 people.

Also available downstairs is the cocktail bar with ingredients including smoked Maldon salt, grilled fruit and smoked ice. Ember Yard’s bar manager and mixologist Alejandro Gimenez Tarquini has created drinks such as a Smoked Vintage Negroni and Il Promo Di Maria – made with gin, elderflower, prosecco, cassis, edible flowers and strawberry smoke.