Thomas Straker’s New York City restaurant has opened with a 40,000-person wait list, drawing a high-profile clientele to the SoHo site formerly occupied by Keith McNally’s Lucky Strike.
The 36-year-old British chef, known for his viral cooking videos and branded butter, expanded his London-based brand to Manhattan last month. While the restaurant’s Notting Hill original is a celebrity hub, the New York location has distinguished itself by its heavy reliance on Australian staff. General manager Brock Heath and head chef Luka Coyne lead a team that includes multiple senior staff members from Australia.
The restaurant has become a regular destination for celebrities including Serena Williams, Blake Lively, Anna Wintour, and Noel Gallagher. Notable guests are often seated at table nine, where Straker frequently joins them. This corner has hosted figures such as Daniel Humm, Rita Ora, and Keith McNally.
The relationship between Straker and McNally, a legendary New York restaurateur, has been described by staff as a "mercurial, love-hate relationship." Despite publicly stating he loathed the chef, McNally visited the restaurant five times during its first two weeks of operation. According to Heath, McNally even donated a piece of art to the establishment.
The Australian team members attribute their successful integration into the New York hospitality scene to grit, hard yakka, and camaraderie: “Holding people to higher standards.” Pushing each other, but you’re having fun at the same time," Coyne told The Sydney Morning Herald. Heath, who previously worked at the Australian-run New York pub Old Mates, said that the team operates with a blend of "grit" and "hard yakka."
Straker, who holds American citizenship by birth, has faced intense public scrutiny in the past. In 2023, he was the subject of criticism following a social media post that featured an all-white male kitchen team.
He has also been a recurring subject of tabloid coverage regarding his social life. Despite these controversies, his staff describes him as a focused leader. "He’s the most pure person I’ve met so far in my life," Coyne said.
The restaurant features a curated interior, including six drawings by Damien Hirst and a black skull piece by Brian Clarke. While the venue is hard to book, current operations focus on managing the high volume of interest. Straker’s publicist has confirmed that the chef is not currently conducting interviews.
