An intimate new restaurant is set to open in Leek this month following eight months of renovation work.
Chef Sam Miller is set to launch Russell Street Kitchen after taking over the former The Street Restaurant and Grill. The eatery, which will open its doors for the first time on Thursday, 30 October, will feature an open kitchen, allowing diners to watch their meals being prepared.
Renovations have included new wiring, plastering, flooring, a false ceiling and improved toilet facilities to create a ‘refined’ dining experience.
Sam, from Rudyard, has been working in the restaurant industry since he was 16, spending seven years at the Ryles Arms near Macclesfield. After leaving the steak restaurant 18 months ago to complete a catering course at Buxton College, he jumped at the opportunity to take over the site, which was previously run by a family friend.
The 24-year-old said: “The previous owner built such a loyal customer base, and I really want to keep that same spirit. It’s a small building, which will comfortably seat 20 people, and customers will get face-to-face service from the person cooking their food. You can’t replicate that.”
The restaurant will feature a small menu – which will change monthly – with a set three-course meal priced at £32 or £36 for a steak. Diners can expect a choice of three starters, three mains and three desserts, with dishes that aim to bring something new to Leek.
Sam said: “I want to serve food people wouldn’t typically have at home and wouldn’t get elsewhere. I’m planning to do things like slow-cooked beef tacos, Thai salmon fishcakes, Moroccan vegetable tagine with homemade flatbread and passionfruit cheesecake, but there will always be steak on the menu, given my background.”
Since setting up a Facebook page for the restaurant, Sam has been overwhelmed by the support from the local community.
He said: “It’s been really nice – people are looking forward to coming back and keep popping their heads in to ask when we will open. It feels like this was meant to be, and I can’t wait to open.”
