At influencer chef Salt Bae’s hedonistic restaurants, where flakes of gold are wrapped in baklava and customers regularly shell out hundreds for a steak, squeezing out the end result might seem the furthest thing from the owner’s mind.
But despite making profits of £3.3 million ($4.2 million) last year, one restaurant in the luxury group appears to have tried to save costs wherever possible.
Meat restaurant Nusr-Et, which has restaurants in London, Dubai and New York, said in its latest annual statement for its UK subsidiary that it had decided to turn off the heating in its restaurant to save money.
The chain said in a filing to Companies House that it was “seeking to improve energy efficiency at an operational level”.
This included “switching off central heating after closing or during peak hours when heating demand is lower” and limiting the use of the air curtain, which prevents drafts from entering through doors.
It is unclear how effective these moves have been in tackling rising costs, which have almost doubled to £6.3 million ($7.9 million) in 2022.
But increased sales at the London restaurant, up 66%, more than offset the higher expenses, helping the group’s owners collect £2.8 million ($3.5 million) in dividends.
Salt Bae’s bet
Salt Bae, the stage name of influencer Nusret Gökçe, exploded on social media in 2017 when she posted a viral video showing what would become her signature flaky salt garnish on a steak.
Since then, he has been filmed serving prime cuts of beef to celebrities and football stars, before moving on to open a chain of restaurants.
But while the company’s profits during a difficult period for the industry are a testament to its successes, the restaurants have often been subject to derision from rival chefs and social media users.
The guests gasped invoices which at times exceeded £1,800 ($2,270), as Nusr-Et charged £9 ($11.35) for still bottled water and £25 ($31.52) for burrata.
The restaurant’s Gian’s sirloin retails for £680 ($856), the most expensive dish on its menus after ditching even the most expensive items during the cost of living crisis.
The group hasn’t been without controversy away from the menu either.
A BusinessInsider The investigation detailed a series of lawsuits filed by former employees, alleging that the company stole tips from staff and allegations of discrimination against employees.
Restaurants battle cost-of-living crisis
Many restaurants have battled rising costs since the onset of COVID-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Staffing, transportation, food and beverage, and energy costs have all soared in recent years due to a perfect storm of problems.
Restaurateurs in the UK, in particular, are complaining about staff shortages.
Announcing the closure of his two-Michelin-starred restaurant Le Gavroche last year, famed London chef Michel Roux Jr. blamed Brexit for putting “a huge spanner in the works” for his company.
The restaurateur said the UK’s exit from the EU had led to a contraction in the supply of hospitality workers, which had increased staff costs and also created burdensome supply chain problems.
Nusr-Et’s 93 employees took home 3.7 million pounds ($4.7 million) in wages in 2022, documents show.
This isn’t the first time Nusr-Et has reduced fat in its restaurants; it had previously ditched its oft-derided £1,450 ($1,800) gold-coated steak when costs started to rise and customers started paying more attention to their spending.