Kin Brasserie

A Victorian railway arch in Bermondsey transformed into an all-day brasserie for a chef known for long, slow meals and seasonal menus. The 180-square-metre space seats sixty covers across a main dining room and a private room enclosed by a new oak frame structure within the arch.

Client context

The client — a restaurateur and trained chef — had operated a series of temporary supper clubs before committing to a permanent venue. She wanted a space that would feel established and unhurried from day one: worn and considered rather than new and deliberate.

The challenge

The arch had been used as a car repair workshop. Removal of the workshop infrastructure revealed both the beautiful original brick and a series of structural repairs made at unknown dates. Integrating these repairs into the design rather than concealing them required close work with a structural engineer familiar with Victorian railway infrastructure.

The concept

The arch is kept as found: cleaned brick, repaired but not restored. New elements — the oak frame, the marble bar, the pendant lighting — are introduced as clearly legible additions rather than restorations. The effect is a space that reads as genuinely old but is rigorously curated.

Materials

Reclaimed Brick — Original Victorian brick cleaned and sealed in situ.
White Marble — Honed Carrara marble for the bar top and kitchen pass.
White Oak — New structural frame, shelving, and bespoke banquette seating.
Aged Copper — Pendant light fittings in patinated copper, custom made locally.

“When people come for the first time, they always ask how long it has been here. That question is the highest compliment we could receive.”

— Chef and Owner, London 2023 (Demonstration content)