Saltbox, by caterer Cook & Waiter, is to open in the TOGA Group lifestyle precinct, Wunderlich Lane, at the crossroads of Redfern and Surry Hills.
Saltbox is the first sole-operated venue by Cook & Waiter and is owned by David O’Brien who has a team of hospitality alumni working for him, including Guillaume at Bennelong, Bentley Restaurant Group, Tetsuya’s, Rockpool, Sixpenny and the kitchens of Gordon Ramsay and Belinda Franks.
The 560sqm Saltbox venue features a 119sqm outdoor terrace designed by SJB that runs the length of the venue, and interiors by Bates Smart.
Just metres from boutique luxury hotel, The EVE, Saltbox joins a collective of retail, beauty, wellness, and hospitality offerings at the new development, including Liquid & Larder, House Made Hospitality, Gelato Messina, plus the teams behind LuMi Dining and The Apollo.
Saltbox will launch in autumn 2025 with a curated food and drinks offering by Cook & Waiter, which has delivered offsite experiences to high-profile brands, including Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Porsche, Lamborghini, Google, Netflix, Penfolds and Qantas. Large corporate clients include Atlassian, American Express, Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan.
“Just as salt enhances the flavour of food, Saltbox will inspire and enhance the hospitality experience at every opportunity, through the integration of a world-class venue with the exceptional food, service, and guest experience that Cook & Waiter is renowned for,” O’Brien said.
“The addition of an event venue to our growing business portfolio gives clients a superb, new destination to consider; a refreshing alternative in the heart of a vibrant lifestyle precinct on the city’s progressive and energetic fringe, that is pushing boundaries in terms of location, guest experience, and sustainability credentials.”
Saltbox will cater to a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner event styles, including corporate meetings, brand launches, cocktail parties, and wedding receptions. A luxe, mirrored lobby and reception area on the ground floor ushers guests upstairs to the Level 1 event spaces: three beautiful and warm spaces that are flooded with natural light and the terrace.
The Bates Smart’s Fit Out
The Bates Smart’s fit-out features an exposed timber frame, constructed from lightweight, carbon neutral, cross-laminated timber (CLT), which represents best practice green design. The CLT anchors the rest of the interior palette, which is made up of warm and authentic materials – raw surfaces, textured fabric, planting and eco-friendly cork flooring that is rich in style, durable and soft under foot, with thermal and acoustic benefits.
The main, pillarless room accommodates approximately 250 guests seated, or 460 cocktail-style, depending on event set-up, which is perfect for large, seated events and conferences. The ceiling is the feature of the space, with its sculpted timber form and soft lighting accents.
Two warm and inviting, smaller spaces can be used for a variety of private dining, meeting room, and breakout options. Floor-to-ceiling windows with soft sheer curtains bestow each beautiful room with natural light and fresh air. All indoor spaces have sophisticated audio-visual capabilities and black-out facilities. Rooms open onto the spacious, undercover terrace that overlooks the bustling activity of Wunderlich Lane below.
The venue’s highly desirable location in Sydney’s hottest hotel, lifestyle and dining precinct will lure clients out of their CBD comfort zone, Cook & Waiter head of sales & marketing, Jules Cameron (nee van der Weegen), said.
“Clients want more, and that’s what we’ll give them,” Cameron said. “Saltbox is the exclusive, standalone event venue at Wunderlich Lane; it’s a spectacular space worth waiting for, and we’re already abuzz with enquiries for 2025.”
Bates Smart interior design director, Brenton Smith, said the design is inspired by its locale at the fringe of Surry Hills and Redfern; it captures the urban energy of the neighbourhood and its people.
“Saltbox capitalises on the vibrant spirit of Wunderlich Lane. We’ve crafted a space that blends flexibility with sophistication. When you are inside you truly feel the excitement of the Surry Hills and Redfern fringe,” Smith said.