After moving their street food venture Ox & Anchor to permanent premises in Anstruther, Nicola and Sian Linton have been busier than expected.
It’s been “crazy” for the restaurant since opening on June 17.
Following his lifelong dream of having his own street food trailer, chef Sian built the Ox & Anchor trailer from scratch with Nicola, his dad and brother.
The husband and wife team’s business opened the hatch for the first time April 9 last year, and now the trailer has gone to make way for the Shore Street restaurant.
“We shed a slight tear when it left,” admits Sian.
Ox & Anchor street food
The premises might be new, but the offering is the same street food Ox & Anchor have become known for.
A range of beef, chicken, fish and vegetarian burgers are on offer, as well as loaded fries, hot dogs and weekly specials.
After 16 years as a chef in kitchens around the East Neuk – lastly at the Dreel Tavern down the road – the 38-year-old wanted to take his career into his own hands.
“The whole idea for me behind this was to utilise the food the East Neuk has to offer,” he says.
“We have a plethora of seafood which doesn’t get used very much. Everything we use is local, the butcher, the baker and the vegetable man.
“We chose street food because it’s completely on the rise at the moment, and we eat far too much of it.
“It’s really nice, exciting, cool food, done with local produce and celebrating local producers.”
From admin to street food
Like the all black street food van, the Shore Road restaurant is decorated in the same fashion. One wall features colourful neon lights, while the standout art is a graffiti bull done by Dundee artist Paco Graff.
While Sian takes the lead in the kitchen, Nicola has full control on the restaurant floor.
The 36-year-old left her admin job after 20 years to start the street food venture with her then-fiance, as they started the business and got married within five months.
Nicola says: “That first year was pretty full on. It was a massive change, but I enjoy it.
“I don’t miss admin at all, it’s nice to be more active. I used to sit by my computer with a cuppa and a pack of biscuits, and I’d eat them all.”
She was the one that spotted the premises after a friend’s dad bought the site. After getting in touch, Ox & Anchor was offered the spot and the couple spent two months getting it ready.
Truck and restaurant differences
With eight weeks of running the restaurant now under their belts, they’re noticing the differences – good and bad – between that and the street food van.
Sian found going from a full kitchen to the van was “pretty crazy”, despite it being set up mostly as a normal kitchen.
Traveling around Scotland was a highlight for them both, visiting new places and swapping grub with other food trucks. Though sometimes, the Scottish weather didn’t provide the best working environment.
Nicola says: “I didn’t like the winter months in the trailer, it was cold. And the hot summer in that, it was like a black box.
Sian continues: “Our little black box of death we used to call it. It was roasting. It’s quite hot in here too though, since it’s also all black.”
Going from working three days a week for six hours to five 14 hour days has been the biggest change for the couple. The upside to the long days is the stability the restaurant provides.
As well as Sian and Nicola, they have four waiting staff, three kitchen porters and another chef – all from the East Neuk.
“As a chef, you work stupidly long hours and doing that for someone else is fine, but doing it for yourself is just incredible,” Sian says.
“Being in here 13-14 hours a day feels good, it feels normal as opposed to doing it in a restaurant for someone else.
“Getting our name out instead of somebody else’s is really cool.”
Ox & Anchor expansion plans
Ox & Anchor in Anstruther is currently open Wednesday to Sunday, and hope to go up to seven days a week next year.
Over winter, they hope to add deliveries to their current offer of sit in and takeaway. Music nights is another plan, getting local artists in for open mic nights and gigs to bring new life into the Anstruther music scene.
Once they’re settled into Shore Road, the couple dream of opening another restaurant somewhere else.
Within 10 years, the aim is to have three Ox & Anchors around the country, allowing them to travel around again.
The first venue in Anstruther will always be the most special though.
Nicola says: “I grew up in Cellardyke and all my family’s from here.
“My brother has The Cellar along the road, so it’s good for my mum and dad since both children have restaurants in Anstruther.”
Sian adds: “To see our friends coming in and seeing what we’ve done, it’s pretty cool.”
