Meet Daria Grebenyuk, the ambitious first-time restaurateur behind Mayfair’s new stylish all-day dining spot.
Set in a quiet street of London’s busy borough of Mayfair, tucked away amongst the independent bars, cafes, and shops of Bruton Place, find SILVA: Daria Grebenyuk’s first foray into the restaurant business. With dainty interiors that dabble with the restaurant’s illusive forest theme designed by Atelier Wren, Daria has curated a space that is as welcoming as it is sophisticated.
We sat down with Daria to discuss the inspiration behind SILVA, from the clever artwork, shapes, and textures that frame the interiors to the European-focussed menus, as well as the challenges of opening a restaurant for the first time in Mayfair’s competitive scene.
Silva Restaurant Mayfair London Atelier Wren
Congratulations on opening your first restaurant in London, in Mayfair no less! How is it all going so far?
Thank you very much. It’s going really well so far. I am currently in a transition period; I have done a lot of preparation for this project, but it was all in theory. How would it all look? How would it all work? It’s a transition for me to now be on top of the business and operational side of things, but I am loving it. Seeing guests dine here and enjoy the space is something I have looked forward to for a long time.
What are your earliest memories of food and cooking?
My relationship with food started really early. My grandparents live in a small town and they used to own a piece of empty land. They cultivated the soil and learnt to grow fruit and vegetables, as well as flowers, and they had an apple orchard. Every summer I would visit and would help plant seeds and pick crops. Over the years, I found a real appreciation for organic produce, and understood how hard it is for small-scale producers to grow food without chemicals – but also how much better these seasonal fruits and vegetables tasted. This was such a grounding experience for the importance of seasonality. Once the summer season ended, I’d cook with my grandmother in the kitchen; my sweetest and most precious memories are from this time.
Tell us about yourself, and your background that has led to this moment.
I always knew I wanted to be my own boss and start my own business one day. I started my career with various hospitality positions, and also worked in fashion PR for a while. The corporate world was fascinating to me at the time. But once the pandemic hit I think a lot of people, including myself, had time to sit down with ourselves and think about where we want to be in ten, 15 or 20 years. While the stable career of the corporate world was attractive to me, it didn’t fill me with any purpose.
So, I just quit. I didn’t have a Plan B – maybe brave, maybe stupid – with no idea if it would pay off. Instead, I started to find what I really enjoyed in life; if I were to open my own business, what would drive me to work hard on it? I immediately knew it would be something to do with food: I love food, and the greatest memories I share are sharing great conversations with friends over delicious food in restaurants.
It’s a competitive restaurant scene in Mayfair. Why this location?
When I started to brainstorm the concept for the restaurant, I knew I wanted it to be an all-day dining spot. I wanted to curate a space that was luxurious but still felt cosy, welcoming, and family-friendly. So, I didn’t want a basement space; natural light is so important for the atmosphere, especially for brunch and lunch. I also didn’t want my chefs working in a basement. Eventually my business manager found this venue in Bruton Place, Mayfair. My initial thoughts were concerned that Mayfair is a tough borough to open my first restaurant in, but Bruton Place, with its independent stores and relaxed vibe just felt right.
SILVA derives from the Latin word for “forest”. How have you embraced this vibe across the whole restaurant?
When brainstorming a name for SILVA, I started looking at Latin words, because it’s an eternal language, and a very beautiful one too. SILVA means forest, as you mentioned, in Latin. And I think it just made a lot of sense for me, because there’s so many subtle ways to take reference from this, from the interior design (using natural materials like marble and timber) to the menus.
Talk us through your design inspiration of the different spaces in the restaurant, and some of your favourite details.
I love the 3D plaster relief panels around the walls – especially in the private dining room upstairs – by artist Kate Churchwell. She used our menu as a reference, and made imprints and plaster moulds of the herbs and plants we cook with, from zucchini flowers to grapes, rosemary and onion flowers. We have carefully placed wall-lighting to help accentuate the texture of this art. We had fun with interpreting the forest theme in a non-literal way. For example, in the cocktail bar, the scenic artist Lara Fiorentino came in to create the free-flowing abstract leaf or petal-inspired textures. Our lights also reference the shape of flowers and petals with domed, glass lampshades.
Talk us through the menu: why all-day dining?
I think in London it’s quite hard to find a place which works just as well for different meals and different occasions. It’s easy to find dinner-focussed restaurants or brunch spots, but rarely both. One of our strengths is that we give diners a choice and curate an atmosphere that subtly changes throughout the day to accommodate. Every time a guest comes back – even on the same day – their experience will feel different.
What are some of your favourite dishes at SILVA and the stories behind them?
The menu felt like such a personal project, so I love them all. However, there are a few dishes that I particularly enjoy. From our starter selection, it would have to be the crispy egg and sea bass carpaccio. The crispy egg was inspired by a small restaurant in Pietrasanta in Italy where I spend summer with my family every year. I spotted it on the menu and thought it sounded interesting, plus I love trying new things. It’s so simple but has so much flavour: a deep-fried crust encompasses a jammy yolk, which sits atop a parmesan mousse with mushrooms and truffle. For mains, I love the seabass which is also inspired by a restaurant in Italy – Ristorante Pesce Baracca in Forte dei Marmi – who serve the catch of the day in a casserole dish. You can’t beat fresh fish cooked with seasonal vegetables.
So travelling has really influenced SILVA’s menu?
Yes. One of my favourite parts about travelling is trying the regional cuisine at local restaurants, and I have definitely taken inspiration from places along the way. There’s a strong Italian influence across the menu, but also certain touches hint to my time travelling around Japan, whether the yuzu and ginger dressing that drowns the wild seabass crudo or the chutoro tartare with mango and mizuna which is a Japanese mustard green. I hope to keep travelling and developing my menu this year; sharing some of the most delicious ingredients, flavours, and dishes I have tried around the world with diners in London feels very special.
Your wine list is really exciting too. What kind of suppliers and winemakers are you championing?
We decided to focus primarily on European wines – to pair with the Mediterranean-focussed menu – with lots of younger suppliers. If I had to characterise the wine list, I’d say it favours lighter and brighter profiles with minimum oak intervention. We didn’t want to overpower the delicate dishes with heavy oak wines. SILVA serves a lot of the classics from Brunello di Montalcino red wines from Tuscany to Grand Crut Champagne. We also have some special, lesser-known labels, including vinho verde from Portugal, riesling from the USA, and wines from Elena Walch vineyard. We serve a lot of our wines by the glass, so wine-lovers can pair a glass with each course.
What are your signature and most popular cocktails?
The Pear and Harmony, and the Salt and Pepper Martini. The first is a sweeter cocktail made with pear waters and ginger syrup. It’s very popular and easy to drink, and is my personal favourite. The second is also often mentioned by our customers. It’s made with a dry gin and flaky salt. I wanted to make sure that the cocktails complemented the food menu, but also were exciting enough to stand out on their own as we have a separate cocktail bar where guests can enjoy a drink after work or before eating.
What’s the crowd like?
I think just like SILVA, the crowd evolves throughout the day. During the week, mornings and lunchtimes are often filled with people who work in Mayfair and who are often entertaining clients. Or diners retire here after a busy day of shopping with all their bags. The weekend is popular with people catching up – lots of families too – and enjoying a slower start to the day. Towards the evening, SILVA becomes a lot more intimate, with dimmer lights, as friends catch up or couples go on dates. This is how I envisioned SILVA: a space for lots of people, and it makes me so happy to see this happening.
Starting a business, do you find that you’re working seven days a week?
I make sure I take time to switch off. I am still learning to do this as I often feel like I don’t have time, but I know how important it is. Otherwise, I become tired of everything I’m doing, and it’s not possible to keep up. Also, I need to stay positive and energised for my team, and this energy filters through everyone. It’s important to lead with positivity and by example.
On your days off, when you’re not at SILVA, where can we find you drinking and dining in London?
I have a few favourite spots in London that I always return to. The first is a small French restaurant in Pimlico. It’s called La Poule au Pot and is very romantic for a date; it’s filled with candles and the food is traditional French cuisine. I also love the Japanese restaurant, Chisou, in Mayfair and Knightsbridge for really good sushi. I sometimes visit Wild Tavern in Chelsea who cook with very high-quality produce. Prices are a bit higher here, but I think it’s worth it. Lisboeta is on my list all the time because the food is just amazing, and for a casual lunch, I love Flat Iron for great steak and their high-quality breakfast.
If you could go back to the beginning, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
I’d say that if there’s something you want to achieve that feels overwhelming or scary, set yourself small, daily tasks that you can find success in. When the day-to-day work gets tough, remind yourself of the bigger picture and everything you are working towards. Now that the restaurant is open, it’s hard to describe or even realise how far I have come with SILVA. It really hits me as I sit here, and I couldn’t be happier.
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