Meet Dave Marrow from Embers

We sit down with Dave Marrow from Embers to delve into the story behind one of Brighton’s most exciting and favourite dining spots. In this interview, Dave shares the inspiration behind Ember’s flame-grilled concept, the passionate team that brings it to life, and the creative thinking behind their award-winning Sunday roast. From the heart of the kitchen to the heart of the city, discover what sets embers apart and why it’s quickly become a favourite on Brighton’s food scene.

Describe the concept and experience at embers?

Embers restaurant in Brighton is a vibrant, friendly restaurant in the heart of The Lanes where everything is cooked over wood and coal in the middle of the restaurant. With something for everyone from our exciting cocktails to our award winning Brighton sunday roasts with great service and skill from talented, passionate people!

This year, you won Brighton’s Best Sunday Roast – what makes your roast stand out, and why do guests love it so much?

I think three things stand out about the Embers Brighton Sunday roast offering.

First is the wood fire; in my opinion, this is the ingredient that elevates everything we do.

Second is care for each ingredient, a roast is about more than just good meat, from our homemade apple sauce to the coal-roasted carrots, every element of our roasts is given the same amount of love and attention.

And third is the sharing. I think the way we serve our roasts on a massive platter make it an occasion not just a meal. Growing up, Sunday lunch in my house was a time we all got together and passed food around the table as a family, that is the essence of what we have tried to create at Embers.

Do you have a top tip for cooking a great Sunday roast at home? What’s one simple way to elevate it?

There are lots of tips I could give about Sunday roasts, but I think the most important one is to rest your meat, most people take their joint out of the oven and slice it straight away, rest that meat for almost as long as you cook it, this will give it time to relax, tenderise and develop flavour.

What do you enjoy most about working in hospitality?

It sounds cliché, but the people, the customers, of course, and the staff.

I’m lucky to have an incredibly talented passionate team who care almost as deeply about the restaurant as I do and really believe in what were doing.

They are one of the main reasons I get out of bed in the morning!

What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve faced at Embers so far, and how did you overcome it?

Everyday is a massive challenge when you own a restaurant, some bigger than others

If I listed every single one, it would be a big list. I think the biggest challenge for any restaurant is filling it. That takes time and maybe a bit of luck, and obviously other things like good marketing and strategy.

You could be serving the best food in the world, but if no-one hears about it than you wont last long.

I think I have learned that the only way you overcome any challenge is remembering that this is just happening now and tomorrow and there will be another day with fresh challenges, though that’s not always easy to do!

Your open kitchen and industrial design are a big part of the embers experience – where did the idea come from?

The idea of Embers came from a summer bbq Isaac , myself and quite a few other friends did together where we all ended up sitting round a fire at the end of the night, it kind of dawned on me how entranced we where by the fire and I felt that if we could replicate that in a restaurant setting than we could have something!

So it was always key the fire had to be front and centre, there was also something primal about it, medieval, which I think led to the dark industrial look we have.

It happened organically, really. I knew what I wanted, but Isaac is really good at translating it, and I think we ended up pretty close to what we imagined around that fire years ago.

From a practical perspective, how does the open kitchen set-up compare to a traditional kitchen layout?

It’s a different ball game really, your on show and theres much less room for error.

I think ours is one of the most open around as well, we also have a massive open fire to contend with and not that much space, so it certainly has its challenges! But it’s a lot of fun too!

How have you seen hospitality marketing change over the years, and what’s your take on the role of social media today?

I think marketing has changed in a way that it’s become essential. I think it’s almost become the most important thing, certainly at the start, the world has become social media-led to a degree that if you don’t have a presence, then you don’t really have a chance.

There are exceptions to the rule, but not many! 10- 15 years ago if you were truly great at what you do, word would get around and you would be busy. You need much more than that nowadays, and in fac,t you don’t need to be that goo,d just have a good marketing strategy and you will be busy!

If you can do both than you really have something! Social Media is a great tool but also a dangerous one if you don’t get things right, so a really good well thought out marketing strategy is essential.

What are some of the most popular dishes on your menu right now?

Our summer plates menu is all based around being a perfect BBQ and has been one of our most popular yet, we bought back the lamb ribs which where on our very first menu and there going down a storm.

Can you tell us more about your Feast Menu – what can diners expect?

The Embers Feast menu is a sharing menu taking some of our favourite plates off the current menu and then a beautiful Sirloin steak cooked our way over the Embers. At £35 pp I think it offers really good value to the customer. It has proven really popular!

We also have a vegan version, and for those who don’t fancy the stea,k we do it with a whole sea bass!

When you dine out in Brighton or Sussex, where do you like to go for brunch or dinner – and why?

My favourite place to eat at the moment is Chilli, they just opened one up round the corner from Embers and I love it, lovely people too.

For breakfast, Dishoom Permit Room, they do an epic breakfast in Brighton and an excellent naan!

Both places have great people working there and great food, and that’s what will bring me back!

Do you have any exciting plans over the next six months – new menus, events, or changes in the pipeline?

We have just launched Breakfast at Embers, which is available every Saturday and Sunday, 9-1130am which were really excited about and it seems to have gone down well.

We’re also doing something with Woodfire Camping in September! We were very excited about!

We always have things on the back-burner as well, but you will just have to watch this space

What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to someone thinking of opening their own restaurant?

I would say focus on your concept first get that right and make sure that concept is something you truly believe in and care about, it almost needs to be a part of you!

If you don’t have a strong concept nowadays, then it’s going to be really hard ! Lots of incredibly talented people open restaurants and other businesses, and it doesn’t work because they didn’t get that bit right!

Once you have that bit, you can evolve it however you like, but always stay true to it!