London’s White Lyan to transform into sustainable restaurant

Noted bartender Ryan Chetiyawardana has partnered with Doug McMaster of Brighton-based zero-waste restaurant Silo to transform White Lyan into a “luxury sustainable drinks-led dining experience”.

White Lyan’s Ryan Chetiyawardana and Silo’s Doug McMaster will open the new venue in September

Due to open in September above recently launched basement bar Super Lyan, Cub will approach food and drink as a “united entity”.

In partnership with Krug Champagne, Belvedere and LVMH, with input from Dr Arielle Johnson – former resident scientist at Noma and current flavour scientist and Director’s Fellow at the MIT Media Lab – the team aim to “blur the boundaries of food and drink” and create a “modern interpretation of a restaurant”.

“We want to keep pushing boundaries – and keep things weird! – but in a way that feels accessible and honest as well as exciting and modern,” said Cheti. “Cub will be the continuation of these conversations but taking them in a new direction – looking at how we can rejoin the worlds of food and drink, and showcase the importance of innovation and sustainability to a wider public.”

The team will also work to strike up “fresh conversation” around sustainability – in part by transforming the venue into “its own ecosystem” with Johnson’s help.

Here, experimental ingredients will be grown on site as part of a programme to research the effects of environment on food growth and flavour.

The venture marks the Mr Lyan team’s first foray into dining, and McMaster’s first project in London.

“Cub is a very exciting collaboration which allows us to explore how both our industries can come together to make a really unique experience,” added McMaster. “There’s always been a synergy between our businesses, and this allows us to explore how that can develop.”