After closing his acclaimed restaurant Kysty in July after six years, the celebrated chef Ryan Blackburn is embarking on a new culinary venture with the opening of The Schelly, a casual small plates eatery located next door to his flagship Michelin-starred establishment, The Old Stamp House.
The Schelly, which opened on Wednesday for lunch service, occupies a historic building on Church Street in the heart of this picturesque Lake District town. Its name is derived from a rare freshwater fish found only in four nearby lakes: Brothers Water, Haweswater, Red Tarn and Ullswater.
The restaurant’s seasonally changing menu reflects Mr. Blackburn’s innovative interpretations of classic British dishes from The Old Stamp House, along with plates inspired by his travels and passion for global cuisines. Diners can expect offerings like Cartmel Valley Cumberland sausage with egg yolk sauce, potted shrimp with curried cauliflower, Yew Tree Farm Herdwick hogget shoulder with mint and anchovy salad, fish of the day cooked on the bone with brown butter, capers and parsley, and cheesecake with macerated raspberries.
“The Schelly is a new chapter for us,” said Mr. Blackburn, who has earned acclaim for his skilled blending of modern and traditional culinary influences. “It’s designed to be an informal place where you can enjoy nibbles and small plates of food with a glass of wine while you catch up with friends or enjoy a relaxed lunch or dinner in elegant yet unstuffy surroundings.”
The intimate 30-seat restaurant, which includes a six-seat table near the kitchen pass for watching the chefs at work, has an extensive wine list curated by Mr. Blackburn’s award-winning sommelier team, with many selections available by the glass or bottle. The wines have been carefully sourced from small-scale growers across Britain and Europe.
In renovating the historic space, which has served various commercial purposes over the centuries, Mr. Blackburn said his team took a sensitive approach to preserve its character while adapting it for modern dining. “From start to finish we’ve ensured that we’ve treated the building as sympathetically as possible,” he said. “It’s a fascinating space that’s played a part in Ambleside’s commercial life in various forms over the years, which threw up one or two challenges for us, but we adapted to them.”
The Schelly’s opening represents the latest evolution for the acclaimed chef, who has earned a loyal following for his innovative British cuisine at The Old Stamp House, which has held a Michelin star since 2016. “We always try to innovate and do something a little bit different,” Mr. Blackburn said, “and hopefully, The Schelly shows off a little of what we are about.”
The Schelly is open Wednesday through Saturday for lunch from noon to 2 p.m. and dinner from 5:30 to 9 p.m. No reservations are required, with seating on a first-come, first-served basis.
