Salt Bae’s restaurant in London has reportedly seen turnover drastically fall as the salt-sprinkling hype of 2021 begins to feel like a distant memory.
A report by the industry analysts Propel said turnover at Nusr-Et in Knightsbridge dropped by 31 per cent up to the end of last year, down to £180,000 a week in one of the busiest and most moneyed areas of London.
The steak restaurant, once frequented by celebrities who wanted to witness Salt Bae — real name Nusret Gökçe — in action, was once one of the most talked about in London. Diners would share their bills on social media and some reached tens of thousands of pounds.
Turnover in the venue’s first 13 weeks of trading equalled £633,000 per week, or £8,225,410 in total, and was about £262,000 a week throughout 2022.
This morning, Propel highlighted the fall in turnover, and also said pre-tax profits have decreased over the same time period. Notably, from £3,329,381 in 2022 to £1,685,616 last year.
Speculation over the longevity of Nusr-Et in London has been rife in recent months.
Last year, the Daily Mail went so far as to question whether Gökçe’s restaurant in London would last after “continuing to face a deluge of bad reviews.” The Standard’s Jimi Famurewa described it as a “vibeless business lounge” and a “categorically a bad restaurant”, while this paper’s David Ellis described its set lunch as “good if you hate your kids”.
Salt Bae still operates almost 30 restaurants around the world, with many in the Middle East. He also boasts 53 million followers on Instagram.
The Standard has approached Nusr-Et for a comment.
