I’m seated opposite another journalist, a man who I’ve never met before but who is in the same situation as me – nervously contemplating whether to disrobe. Why getting naked on holiday is a big thing in Germany: A German reveals all So it seems appropriate that we’re all wearing gowns, for now. It’s a dimly lit space scented by aromatic candles and soundtracked by soft music. People want it and we’re just providing a location and a service.”īlanco has created a restaurant interior that more closely resembles a spa than a restaurant. “I see it as a therapy, it’s very liberating. “I think people want to free themselves,” he says. There are plans to introduce a naked bar area for those who feel comfortable mingling in their birthday suits. It’s not a sexual thing.”īunyadi’s designer and manager, Ignacio Jimenez Blanco, says about 80% of diners have gotten naked during trial runs (it’s totally optional).Īs the employees feel more comfortable, so do the customers, he adds. “And it’s nice to help people feel that way. “It’s about being comfortable with nudity,” she adds. The restaurant has a strict no cameras or cellphones policy, partly to protect the privacy of those disrobing within, but also in line with its back-to-basics natural feel. She says that she feels safer at Bunyadi than at other restaurants since any customer acting inappropriately will be instantly ejected. Knight and her fellow employees wear only skimpy briefs adorned with a few strands of fake vine leaves as they deliver food and drink to the tables. “I wanted to be around people who shared the same thoughts as me,” says Eloise Knight, a 20-year-old student who says she approached the restaurant for work after reading stories about it. Then, once the eyes grow accustomed to the bare flesh of the young male and female waitstaff, things get (relatively) more normal.īefore that happened, we got to chat to some of the staff about how they came to be working in a naked restaurant, and what it’s like to work there.ĩ6 of the world's best chefs share their favorite food experiences It’s impossible not to surreptitiously double-take at the topless waitress leading the way through the candlelit maze of bamboo screens that almost shield diners from heavy scrutiny. When tables are ready and guests have had the requisite number of freshly mixed looseners, they’re then guided into the main dining area. The front door leads into a small bar area, which looks pretty standard until folks start emerging from the changing rooms wearing hotel-style bathrobes. It’s discreetly located in a converted street-corner pub with blacked-out windows a few quiet streets away from London’s highest skyscraper, The Shard. I was there for the press launch, alongside 25 or so other journalists dispatched to report from the front line of naked dining.įrom outside, the restaurant isn’t much to look at – which is probably the idea. If you are not in the mood for a cocktail though, there is also the European-leaning wine list to choose from, as well as optional drinks pairings with your tasting menu.Bunyadi has made headlines in recent weeks by attracting 46,000 people to its waiting list for a three-month pop-up run over the summer. Sips to try include the vodka-based Nordic Spritz and the Yorkshire Lady: a blend of house-made rhubarb gin, applejack, lemon, apple juice and egg white. It is not all about the food here though, as Vice & Virtue also does a rather impressive line in cocktails. The vegetarian tasting menu culminates in tempting desserts such as lemon sorbet with wild fennel and cultured cream topped with burnt honey and basil. On the meat-free version, you can expect to find dishes such as sweetcorn porridge with apple and poppy seed, or roast beetroot with parsley, horseradish and cauliflower. Vice & Virtue also offers a dedicated vegetarian menu, so diners who don’t eat meat don’t need to feel left out. Your tasting menu experience will end with a selection of desserts, which might include the likes of brown butter ice cream finished off with smoked brown sugar and embers. Dishes you might come across include Gressingham duck with shiitake mushrooms, furikake rice and daikon or eight-hour slow-cooked pork jowl served with apple, smoked eel and foraged herbs. If you are looking to get the full experience, we would recommend opting for the five-course tasting menu. Vice & Virtue’s philosophy is to source as many ingredients as possible from local producers and the kitchen offers both a multi-course tasting menu and regular à la carte. The kitchen here champions seasonal ingredients, serving a menu which changes monthly. Vice & Virtue is found inside a sleek space, featuring a 1920s-style monochromatic dining room complete with a bar decked out in hues of black and gold. One of Leed’s most well-regarded restaurants, the food at this slick eatery might seem vice-laden, but there are plenty of virtuous options too.
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