We can confirm the rumours are true – Nick House has teamed up with Kelly Brook to give London a new type of bar experience known as Steam and Rye…
Opening late November 2013, Steam and Rye is a new one-stop destination venue by London entrepreneur Nick House (Mahiki, Whisky Mist and Bodo Schloss). Teaming up with British model and national sweetheart Kelly Brook, they have created a spectacular 550 capacity space harking back to a bygone era, encapsulating America’s Gilded Age, a time of glamour, decadence and idealism in the old bank of New York building in Bank, the heart of the City of London.
Put simply if Cut The Cap wanted to create a venue this would be it. Sharply dressed people, great music, amazing decor, the most premium of drinks and of course a fantastic area to sit down, relax and enjoy an evening with some of our favorite friends, H. Upmann, Monte(cristo) and Ramon (Allones)…
Clearly we’re on the same page as creator and visionary Nick House… This is how he see things:
‘It was love at first sight when I set eyes upon the old Bank of New York on Leadenhall St and immediately the concept sprung to life in my head. In a few seconds, an amalgamation of movies ranging from ‘Hugo’ to ‘Gangs of New York’ started to take form and I knew then that I had to make Steam and Rye a reality. My journey started almost a year ago as I began to source film set designers, alternative thinkers, illustrators, chefs and mixologists who could help shape my vision into something special and incomparable!’
Inspired by the United States of the 1940s, the decadent bar and restaurant will offer live music and dancing with a classic Americana theme open Monday-Saturday from 4pm-3am. The grand living of the Great Gatsby era will be met by the old ways of the Wild West and travelling shows will be fused with the stirrings of the new, young sound of rock ’n’ roll. Upon entering the grand building guests will receive an all-American warm welcome in the dark and mysterious reception area with a hint of things to come….
To fully ensure visitors are transported to another world, House has enlisted upon the help of production designer Jonathan Lee, who won the Milan Film Festival Production Design Award for Head in the Clouds starring Penelope Cruz and Charlize Theron and has a wide array of film and TV credentials including Tomorrow Never Dies and Star Wars Episode 2.
Steam and Rye contains four main elements. The Main Hall and Station Gardens are modelled on New York’s Grand Central Station and offer an over-whelming assault on the senses. The room features a beautiful sculpted bar, a stage, living clock, and its very own Eastern Pacific Steam Train Dining Carriage!
Mirroring the land that was opened up by the mighty railroads, Steam & Rye will feature classic Americana fare including USDA Grain-fed beef from Greater Omaha, BBQ spare ribs & beautifully flavoured steaks cooked on the Josper Grill. Additionally, crab cakes, clam chowder and smoked pulled pork give a hint of what’s to come, all prepared by a team led by celebrated chef Andrew McLeish (of Michelin starred Chapter One, Kent).
Britain’s top bartender and finalist in the Diageo World Class competition Andy Mil (formally of London Cocktail Club) is heading up the bars which will serve both classic and bespoke cocktails, created by one of Britain’s leading mixologists.
Explorers will find a winding stairwell leading to the mezzanine level and the Cargo Hold; an impossibly crammed collection of ephemera, taxidermy, flotsam and jetsam with a glass fronted wall offering a bird’s eye view over Grand Central Station. Dimly lit, it takes time to explore the treasures accumulated over a lifetime of travel to extraordinary destinations.
Finally the basement 1st Class Cocktail Carriage is a luxurious retreat whilst crossing continents. Rich sumptuous velvet and intimate leather-lined booths create an opulent den to savour extraordinary and exotic cocktails from the richly-laden bar. Ideal for private parties and outlaws hideouts.
With Nick House’s hospitality credentials, Kelly Brook’s old-school glamour, one hell of a venue by Jonathan Lee and a concept unlike anywhere else, Steam & Rye is an American Dream on very British soil and we can’t wait!!
All that’s left to say is get ready to jump on board and prepare for the ride of your life…