Kirsty Easterbrook is ex sous chef at One Michelin star St Bart’s in Smithfield which has hyper seasonal British tasting menus including foraged ingredients.
She is off to become head chef at Tavern, the latest venture from the team behind St Bart’s where the beer will be drunk from tankards and the snacks include sausage with curry sauce.
Co-founder Luke Wasserman promises more of a pub culture vibe when it opens in Old Street on April 28.
Taking over the space occupied by their nose to tail Shoreditch restaurant NEST, Tavern will marry the warmth and buzz of pub culture with refined bistro-style dishes.
He said: “Nest started in Hackney, and now we’re proud to bring our new concept, Tavern, to Shoreditch – a quality British bistro with the laid back energy of a local.”
Kirsty – overseen by executive chef Brendan Appleby (Inver, Silo and Lyles) – will be bringing some of St Bart’s energy to a menu that includes Brixham turbot with English sparkling wine and cobnut sauce, Yew Tree Farm hogget with anchovy and ewe’s curd, and Tamworth pork served nose to tail with cider mustard sauce.
There are also daily specials, Welsh Wagyu rib of beef on the bone, with marrow and Dorset snails to share or a crispy veal sweetbread burger.
Kirsty said: “St Bart’s shaped how I work with British produce and fire and Tavern brings that to Shoreditch in a more relaxed, bistro setting.”
That cosy bistro feel includes a kitchen counter clad in black slate which wraps around the open kitchen.
Diners can sit at the bar and enjoy snacks such as devilled pig skin with smoked cod’s roe, hogget scrumpets with mint, or the Tavern sausage with curry sauce.
Or they can sit in the black and off white dining room set with white tablecloths and candlelight to enjoy food which showcases seasonal British produce, whole animal butchery and dishes cooked over fire.
Also on the menu is Chunion ‘puff’ – a cheese and onion filled gougère – barbecued cuttlefish and pork XO skewers, British bluefin tuna tostada with Irish wasabi, while desserts include a chocolate tart with barley ice-cream or malt loaf with fermented honey and bread and butter pudding ice cream.
Beer will be served alongside classic cocktails such as the pickle chilli martini.
Tavern is at 374-378 Old Street. Bookings go live on Monday March 30.
