SALTERN

Twelve seats above the water. One sitting a night. A menu written at low water and cooked at the flood.

LOW WATER17:40 · 0.8 M

FLOOD20:15 · 3.1 M

HIGH WATER23:52 · 5.6 M

EBB03:05 · 2.9 M

Chapter II · Low water

What the tide leaves

The menu is not written in the kitchen. It is written on the shore at first light, from what the ebb has left behind and what the beds below the house give up.

Rock samphirePicked above the wrack line, an hour before service

KelpCut at spring low, dried over the pans

Natives from the bedsRaised in the cove below the house

Salt from the pansDrawn, settled and raked on the roof

Water1.2 m

Chapter III · The flood

The flood sitting

Nine courses, served as the water comes in. Each course is called when the tide reaches its mark, so no two nights run to the same clock.

The water rises 1.2 to 5.6 metres over nine courses

A sauce finished at the pass in a dark kitchen

The pass, at the flood

19:301.2 MSalt and butterWarm crown loaf, whey butter, salt from the roofWarm crown loaf, whey butter, salt from the roof
19:551.7 MThe raw nativeOne oyster, cold from the bed, its own liquorOne oyster, cold from the bed, its own liquor
20:202.3 MSamphire and curdRock samphire, burnt cream, sea herb oilRock samphire, burnt cream, sea herb oil
20:503.0 MCrab, laid openBrown meat on dripping toast, white meat coldBrown meat on dripping toast, white meat cold
21:153.8 MThe day boat fishWhatever was landed at the cove, over embersWhatever was landed at the cove, over embers

A course on dark stoneware: shellfish, foam and sea herbs

Course five, as the water turns

21:454.5 MKelp brothDeep stock of the dried cut, poured at the tableDeep stock of the dried cut, poured at the table
22:105.0 MSalt marsh lambAged over the pans, mutton fat, laverAged over the pans, mutton fat, laver
22:405.4 MBay leaf and creamSet cream, oil of bay, sea buckthornSet cream, oil of bay, sea buckthorn
23:055.6 MHigh waterDark chocolate, pan salt, one last pourDark chocolate, pan salt, one last pour

The sitting is fictional. In a real build this table is driven by the restaurant's actual menu and service.

Chapter IV · High water

The room at high water

12seats, one long table of scrubbed sycamore

1sitting a night, five nights a week

9courses, called by the tide, never by the clock

0choices. You eat what the water sent

Drag along the table

Storm light over a dark headland and running sea

Chapter V · The ebb

Built where the salt was made

There were salt pans on this headland for four hundred years. Sea water was pumped to the roof, settled in slate beds, and given to the wind. What was left paid for the harbour below.

The pans are working again. The kitchen stands where the pan house stood, and everything served here is seasoned with what the roof still gives.

From the pans

The next sitting

Twelve seats are written into the book at each new moon.