Ledger Restaurant & Bar

Successful chef owner and operator, Matt O’Neil of The Blue Ox, engaged RealFood as he was embarking on his newest project that would repurpose a historic bank building into a unique restaurant and bar experience on the North Shore of Massachusetts.

How We Fit In

RealFood’s engagement included complete foodservice design and development, from initial space planning through final foodservice equipment install.

Strategic Framework

With the blank slate of the storied site (circa 1818), RealFood helped Chef O’Neil to design the overall footprint of the kitchen before designing any other part of the restaurant. This allowed for complete autonomy when it came to deciding how the back of house would connect with the front of house. This unique approach prioritized the kitchen as a centerpiece in the overall guest experience.

Pencil to Paper

The primary design areas included the (partially) open kitchen, center bar and service station.

The RealFood design team created a hybrid scenario for the large kitchen along the space’s back wall, keeping the specialty back-of-house action visible as guests dine. The open portion of the kitchen includes:

• a front cold line with double-shelf stainless-steel plate storage and pass-through
• a center hot line with an 8-foot solid-fuel grill on one end and a traditional range on the other
• a raw bar with counter seating for six

The back kitchen, situated directly behind the hot line’s wood-burning grill, is where bulk prep, batch cooking and bakery production takes place.

The central bar was designed as focal point, with all the bells and whistles in a sleek, efficient layout, and the service station doubles as a coffee bar, with espresso and coffee machines, warewashing and point of sale terminal, all hidden from plain sight.

In the End

Ledger Restaurant & Bar opened successfully in the heart of Salem, Massachusetts, with progressive New England fare and a lively atmosphere. Since its opening, Ledger has earned accolades from the likes of Wine Spectator, James Beard Foundation and its community of loyal guests.