Discover more about the recent transformation of award-winning Edinburgh restaurant, Ondine, in our Q&A with experienced restauranteur Roy Brett.
Background
Ondine Oyster & Grill have officially re-opened their doors and completely transformed the entire look and feel of the restaurant, taking you on a unique and magical dining experience with a twist, situated in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town.
The exterior is currently fully covered in scaffolding and out of their control which will be in place until at least early next year, has forced the award-winning restaurant to change their entire appearance. After undergoing a full transformation, they will take diners on a proper destination as the opulent space has been converted to emulate a ship at sea featuring a very clever window display.
Tell us a bit about yourself
I have been in the industry for the last 35 years. I currently run and own two ventures in the city – Ondine Oyster & Grill and The Fishmarket, Newhaven in partnership with Gary Welch.
Tell us about the re-opening and transformation of Ondine Oyster & Grill
We have re-opened our doors at Ondine and completely transformed the entire look and feel of the restaurant. The exterior of the restaurant is currently fully covered in scaffolding and out of our control which will be in place until at least early next year. This has forced us to change the entire appearance. After undergoing a full transformation, we take diners on a proper destination as the space has been converted to emulate a ship at sea featuring a very clever window display.
How has the business adapted following lockdown?
We have invested heavily into our interior and kitchen as well as our working environment for all staff. We have introduced a 4-day working week for all staff which will be in place permanently moving forward. I believe the kitchen environment must be right, just as much as the customer experience. It is important to create a positive experience for the kitchen, front of house and back of house team as a whole to provide the best overall experience. We don’t sit down, we just cook and eat food that we are proud of all the time not just for the guests. Chefs like to see evolution as well so to create new cooking facilities helps facilitate that desire.
Tell us about your new menu
We have had a full modernised refurbishment to the restaurant, oyster bar and private dining area. We have always been well known for our Scottish seafood, but we will also now have more of a focus on meat. We have a brand new robata grill, where we cook over hot charcoal on an open fireplace which intensifies the flavour and adds a different texture to both the meat and the fish. As more meat is slowly introduced to the menu, the name of the restaurant has also been adapted to ‘Ondine Oyster & Grill’. We will continue to add new dishes and specials to the new menu as we adapt. We are always looking at past dishes as well as new ones to ensure we don’t lose any all-time favourites. We are currently working on a new dessert from a retro classic which is a take on a modern chocolate profiterole with praline cream and hot chocolate sauce, making it more current.
A Day in the Life of Roy Brett
I’m always up early and start my day off with an early morning walk with my dog, it is the best way to set myself up for the day ahead. I do the school run and on route to the restaurant, I get a catch up on yesterday’s news with a takeaway coffee from Castello – the best coffee in town.
At the moment, the whole day is spent at the restaurant from early morning until late as we have only just re-opened. We always have a team staff lunch before dinner service using good fresh produce from the menu, trying out different dishes each time. At 10pm, we clean down, orders are placed and ready for the next days service to do it all over again.
On my days off, I love to visit some of my favourite places in town. Lunch would have to be at Noto, Stuart Ralston has created a really special place. Dinner out would be The Little Chartroom on the Walk. Roberta and Shaun Mccarron have created something very special indeed. It is very focused and driven. The husband-and-wife team deliver on all the notes. It is a professional yet relaxed service and well-executed plates. It is so good!
My favourite bar for post-work drinks or on my day off is bar Nauticus. It’s our team favourite bar, situated on Duke Street. It’s run by my Manager Craig Grierson’s good friend, Kyle Jameson. Their whisky and cocktail list is our favourite in the city by far. It is negroni heaven!
What’s next for Ondine?
At the moment we are really focusing on our staff and customer experience. We are concentrating on our consistencies, team development and ensuring our guest experience is always on point. We are always looking forward to the future and we would like to do more, and we do have plans with Ondine and the brand as we evolve it and take it forward. However, due to the current climate, we need to wait patiently until the time is right. Watch this space!
Where is your Hidden Edinburgh and Why?
It would have to be The Pentland Hills. It’s my escapism. You just can’t beat the fresh air and wide landscapes and freedom from kitchen and restaurant life.
Life Motto
You can’t control what is happening outside, but you can control what is happening inside. Just focus on what you can do and don’t worry about anything that is out of your control.
Further Details
Ondine Oyster & Grill in Edinburgh have just been awarded the ‘Best Restaurant in Scotland’ and listed in the Top 100 UK restaurants at The Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards, in London at the annual summer celebration. Ondine Oyster & Grill, specialising in seafood and shellfish was the only restaurant in the city to feature within the Top 100 list which is the definitive guide to the UK’s best restaurants. As well as this, they were awarded the coveted ‘Best Restaurant in Scotland’ special award.
Website: www.ondinerestaurant.co.uk
Address: 2 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1AD
