LLM EXCLUSIVE MARCH 2025 / Meet The Chef: Slawomir Sawicki, Head Chef At SiLVA, Mayfair In London / Editing By Anuja Gaur / Publisher LLM Reporters

Sending rippling waves through the sheeny luxe avenues of London’s billionaire W1 playground, the fresh cuisine destination of SiLVA is currently in the midst of revelling in its sapid gourmet prestige, scarcely three months since unveiling its secluded yet polished mews abode in November ‘24, cosily snuggled up within Mayfair’s Bruton Place.

Stemming from the Latin word for forest, founder Daria Grebenyuk, alongside her first-rate cooking clique, have introduced to their well-heeled visitants an elegant dining sanctum with a more humble aura in this otherwise, glitzy brazen quarter of the capital.

Whilst basking in an earthy, botanical backdrop of floral foliage adornments, pastel hues and curvaceous banquette seating, guests have the opportunity of satiating their dining desires on a hearty yet refined affair. The menu showcases a toothsome daytime regale of airy soufflé pancakes lovingly served with a serving of silken Chantilly served with heady lavender, and perfectly poached eggs which transitions into an evening feast of butter melting cutlets of prime lamb, or meaty tender halibut accompanied with a peppered margarita.

Head chef Slawomir Sawicki is somewhat a culinary Mayfair maven, unabashedly exhibiting a glittering resume in some of the most coveted epicurean establishments from the fashionable Parisian influenced brasserie of Mister Nice, to the art deco jewel of the five-star Sheraton Grand Park Lane Hotel, not to also neglect, his casual Michelin star tour of duty at the exquisite tasting haven of Bishopsgate’s Galvin La Chapelle.

Honing in on his formidable culinary expertise for London’s topmost elite clientele, chef Slawomir has, under the invaluable mentorship of Daria Grebenyuk, triumphantly demonstrated his masterly techniques of blending traditional flavours and seasonal produce, with a modernistic verve to evolve in harmonious melody with our changing seasons, and blend effortlessly with the independent spirit of Bruton Place.

Seated in the sleek intimate den of the cocktail bar, it was utter enjoyment interrogating chef Slawomir himself over a refreshing ‘Parma Violet’ concoction tingling with sweet peach and zesty lemon, as we glossed over on pre-teen food memoirs, seasonal menu fever, and chef challenges.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, including where you are today, professionally, and what got you here?

I’m originally from Poland and, since 2007, have been living in London currently under the golden opportunity as head chef at SiLVA Mayfair. Throughout my journey, I have worked for some of the best chef maestros like Eric Chavot, who is a real perfectionist in cooking and running the kitchen.

His cooking is based on pure French cuisine which was a dream for me to learn. Other incredible chef confidantes have been Chris and Jeff Galvin; besides their legendary status in London, fantastic food and stunning restaurants, they are just some of the greatest people to work for.

What, or who, inspired you to become a chef?

First of all, I would have to say it was my love for food. When I stepped into the kitchen for the first time, I knew I wanted to be a chef. The wonderful thing about cooking and running a restaurant is that every day can be so different.

Galvin at La Chapelle, Mister Nice and The Sheraton Grand Park Lane, you’ve certainly worked in some of the most prestigious kitchens! What was it that attracted you to join the SiLVA familiar?

For me, personally, it was such an amazing opportunity and a challenge to be in charge of opening and developing the menu from day one.

The project ticked all my boxes: location (Mayfair), gorgeous restaurant, and the freedom I was granted regarding the menu, and experimenting with new products which I really saw was keeping the kitchen team motivated and inquisitive about food. Crucially and significantly, we owe a lot to the owner, Daria, who has been a number one supporter and moral force cue from day one.

How would you describe the menu at SilVA?

I’d say Mediterranean with a twist. A majority of the influence has come from Daria’s travels around the world. We also wanted to combine my bon vivant wisdom with Daria’s most memorable dishes and interpret them in a new refreshing manner, so our guests would be able to indulge in various global cuisines all in one place.

Describe a typical day in the kitchen.

We always start with deliveries, checking the quality of products and putting them away. Then, of course, coffee time! (very important in the kitchen).

Our breakfast chef tends to wave his AM cookery sorcery as the other chefs are ready to begin prep for the day. At 11.45am we are set to conquer the afternoon service.

When lunch is finished everyone takes a breather before returning at 5.30pm to gear up for the dinner routine, before finally clocking off at 10:30pm.

The restaurant celebrates Mediterranean-inspired cuisine with a menu that evolves throughout the day. Image credit: Joe Howard

Do you tend to have a favourite time of the year or set of ingredients you love working with?

Definitely spring is number one, as everything comes to life: beautiful asparagus, strawberries, and fresh peas. At the moment we are actually in the process of creating and tasting new dishes for our spring menu.

Do you have some special childhood food memories that particularly stand out?

My fondest food memories were back in Poland when I was 10 years old, and my grandmother used to take me to the orchard. We were picking all these cherries and plums and then helping her make jams from all these divine fresh fruits.

What would you highlight as your biggest achievement and more difficult challenge during your career?

I do like to think the biggest achievement is yet to come. In the near future, I would like to put Silva on the culinary map of London, where people recognise SiLVA as a beautiful restaurant with flavourful piquant food. After that, it would be an honour to become the executive chef of a whole group of restaurants.

As far as the most difficult challenge, the long hours can be brutal but, in the end, it really is worth the graft as well as satisfying, especially when we get extraordinary feedback from our guests.

Seasonally evolving menus have become quite the craze in London, do you feel this is a concept which can continue to be a success in the city?

Definitely, every chef loves working with seasons and they do offer endless creative freedom to keep using our imagination, while also giving our faithful clients yet another reason to keep coming back to us and enjoy new dishes. That said our top signature dishes won’t go anywhere, it’s more of changing garnish here and there to make it more seasonally exciting.

Probably a question more for your bar crew, but the cocktail menu is certainly quite a unique and adventurous one! What was the inspiration behind going against the traditional classics?

Our cocktail menu embodies a bold and creative approach, diverging from traditional classics to offer unique flavour profiles and unexpected ingredients. The inspiration stems from a desire to create an immersive and modern drinking experience, blending global influences like matcha, yuzu, and shiso with innovative techniques.

We always thrive in offering our guests something distinctive, as well as memorable.

You’ve had some solid experience working in Mayfair and I’ve recently noticed a number of ultra-luxe restaurants have recently been flaunting their presence here. What do you feel makes SiLVA stand out from the W1 crowd?

Silva is definitely different and quite special compared to its fellow restaurant siblings in Mayfair. It’s not at all flashy or ‘too much’, focusing more on a down to earth notion around nature, which makes it unique and truly stand out. Our guests frequently describe SiLVA as a very homely place, with a strong intimate feel.

Whatever the occasion, SiLVA offers a thoughtfully curated experience, day or night. Image credit: Joe Howard

The lamb cutlets are literally perfection! Any other highlight dishes you’d recommend from the menu?

Oh crab raviolo, a big raviolo filled with fresh crab and fish mousse, sitting on top of sautéed spinach and covered with rich, foamy langoustine sauce. You seriously can’t really go wrong with it. Simply divine.

What would you be doing if you weren’t a chef?

Hmm, probably something with finances usually springs to mind.

When you’re not in the kitchen where can you be found?

Getting quality relaxed time with my wife and little boy, it’s so important to have that downtime when working in such a fast-paced environment.

Any words of wisdom you could spare to other aspiring chefs out there?

Don’t waste your time working in average places, choose the top kitchens where you can learn bakery, butchery, making sauces from scratch and overall kitchen culture. Always keep your head down and keep learning as much as you can.

Factbox

Address: 26-28 Bruton Place, London, W1J 6NG
Phone: 0203 892 9000
Website: silvarestaurant.co.uk