Chef Sally Abé has headed up some of the country’s top kitchens, from hotel dining rooms (The Pem at the Conrad London St James) to the poshest of pubs (The Bull at Charlbury and Fulham’s Harwood Arms, where she retained the Michelin star). Teal finds her in Hackney, London, opening her first solo restaurant, championing British ingredients based on quality and sustainability (the restaurant is named after the game bird, not the Pantone colour).
Wallpaper* dines at Teal by Sally Abé, London
The mood: Sister act
Abé’s memoir is titled A Woman’s Place is in the Kitchen, which gives a flavour of both the femininity and the feminism that infuses the chef’s approach to hospitality. Abé has designed Teal with her sister, Alice Webster; black-and-white posters depicting historic women’s rights marches and slogans hang on bottle-green walls, alongside other decor touches that feel like a British take on a French bistro. Bentwood chairs sit alongside mustard-yellow banquettes, while vintage Winchester stools are gathered around an oak bar in a room illuminated by natural light by day, and antique brass table lamps come the evening.
Webster looked for inspiration from the teal, incorporating the green and orange of the bird’s face into the colour palette of pieces from HK Living, Alice Palmer and Pooky lighting.
‘Overall,’ Webster explains, ‘we wanted to keep the design a little more minimal to reflect the core concept of the restaurant and Sally herself: good, honest food that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s meant to feel like a little place for locals to come for dinner, that also happens to serve top-tier food in a relaxed and informal setting.’
The food: Refined retro
If it’s British, seasonal and nostalgic, it’s probably on the menu here. But while there’s a hefty dose of dinner-party retro and 1980s children’s party – snacks of angels or devils on horseback; desserts of raspberry marshmallow teacake and marmalade ice-cream sandwich – ingredients are put together with an eye for integrity, not irony.
So, Cornish mussels come with Jersey Royals, cauliflower and sea kale, and a haunch of deer with pickled walnuts and cavolo nero: dishes in which complementary and contrasting flavours are held in beautiful balance.
In the kitchen, Abé works alongside head chef Abbie Hendren, continuing her longstanding commitment to hiring and mentoring women. And just to underline that Abé’s campaigning days are not behind her, all proceeds from her penny lick – the Victorian ice cream updated for the 21st century – are donated to Hackney Foodbank. A guilt-free dessert may be Abé’s greatest legacy yet.
Teal by Sally Abé is located at 52 Wilton Way, London E8 1BG, United Kingdom