After the shock news earlier this month that Scott Smith, chef patron of Norn in Edinburgh, was leaving the restaurant, we find out what's in store for his latest venture, Fhior.
Set to open on Broughton Street on 6 June, Fhior means 'true' in Gaelic.
Supported by his wife Laura, and members of the original Norn team, the restaurant will be a refreshed and refocused take on Smith’s previous establishment, serving exciting modern Scottish food.
Smith says: “I want to create a place with vibrancy, that is fresh, bright and light with service that is informed yet casual and cooking that is honest and clean.”
Sneaky peek at the before.
Busy making our changes now.#fhior #newrestaurant #foodie #edinburgh pic.twitter.com/J64aFBClo1— Fhior (@FhiorRestaurant) May 1, 2018
The new restaurant will be divided into two sections: a main dining room with 32 covers will serve a set tasting menu in the evening four days a week (Wednesday – Saturday) as well as lunch on Friday and Saturday when diners will also have the chance to pick a few dishes from the menu a la carte style too.
At the front of the restaurant there will be a more relaxed café/bar/shop, seating 12 for coffee and fresh pastries, pre and post dinner drinks and a range of bar snacks throughout the day.
We will be serving @eastcoastcured meats in our new bar area at @fhiorrestaurant .
Welcome to come in for a quick glass of sexy wine and the best cured meat in Scotland.#newrestaurant #fhior #edinburgh #foodporn #comingsoon pic.twitter.com/HPF2tWo2nR— Fhior (@FhiorRestaurant) May 3, 2018
Smith’s menu will rely on the trusted team of local suppliers and foragers who visit his kitchen daily.
His ethos of sourcing and producing clean flavours in the food will be evident in the new menus and anything seasonal that isn’t used is preserved through fermentations, tinctures and drying.
The wine list will feature well-skilled wine makers whose wines reflect the full expression of a particular region or country, made with minimal intervention and from all over the world.
In the future Smith also plans to make his famous beremeal bread, which A.A. Gill called “divine”, available for customers to buy alongside his own produce and local art to take home.
Following a hugely successful guest chef stint at London’s Carousel, Smith plans to build on that experience and use the new space to host a number of events at Fhior featuring some of the best chefs from across the UK.