Michelin starred chef Ryan Blackburn is set to close Ambleside’s Kysty and open two new venues.
The chef-owner of the casual eatery has made the decision to not renew the lease on the site after six years – with Kysty’s final service taking place on July 26 2024.
While the chef described it as a difficult decision, he said he was also pleased to announce that he is retaining all of the Kysty team and recruiting further staff as he opens two new ventures in the village later this summer.
Chef-owner Ryan Blackburn said: ‘’We’re proud of what we as a team have achieved at Kysty since we opened the doors in the summer of 2018, but the time was right to examine the direction we wanted to take.
“As a result, we’ve taken what some people might think is a bold decision to close the restaurant, but the reality is it was the right time. With the renewal of the lease and the prospect of investing heavily to transform the space further, it simply wasn’t viable.”
Both of the new venues will be located next to his Michelin-starred flagship restaurant The Old Stamp House.
The first is a small plates casual dining eatery, called The Schelly, named after a rare freshwater fish, found exclusively in Brothers Water, Haweswater, Red Tarn and Ullswater.
The Schelly, located directly above the Old Stamp House, will seat up to 24 walk-in guests, with the option of being able to host an additional six guests at a bookable table located close to the pass, which will enable diners to get up close and personal with the chefs as they cook.
It will serve a relaxed menu featuring Ryan’s innovative interpretation of individual dishes, created utilising the very best locally sourced produce to deliver exciting plates of food.
Diners will also be able to enjoy an extensive selection of wines from a range of small-scale growers, which will be available by the glass or by the bottle, each carefully sourced from around the UK and Europe by Ryan’s award-winning sommelier team.
The second business is a private dining space and development kitchen, called the Workshop at The Old Stamp House.
Located in the Old Stamp House Courtyard, this contemporary space is housed in a former tailor’s workshop. Seating up to eight guests at a bespoke dining table, this curated space will allow diners to fully interact with the chefs who will cook and serve them.
Ryan added: “Happily, new opportunities presented themselves some time ago, and ever since we’ve been quietly getting on with transforming our two new sites The Schelly and the Workshop at The Old Stamp House.
“Which we will be in a position to fully reveal in mid to late August. In the meantime, we’re recruiting additional staff and the team from Kysty will move into roles in the two new sites after final service.
“The whole team is massively excited about the future, and we look forward to guests joining us at both The Schelly and The Workshop at The Old Stamp House.’’
All vouchers purchased by guests wishing to dine at Kysty will be honoured and will be redeemable at Ryan’s other premises.
