About Teal by Sally Abé
Teal is a small, independent British bistro in Hackney, founded by chef Sally Abé. We opened in March 2026 with a simple ambition: to create the kind of neighbourhood restaurant we love to eat in ourselves, serving great British food without taking ourselves too seriously.
The menu is rooted in British ingredients, seasonality and food history, taking familiar flavours and dishes and giving them a fresh perspective. We care about proper cooking, great produce and food that people genuinely want to come back and eat, from thoughtful seasonal dishes to nostalgic puddings and our Sunday roast.
With just 25 covers inside, Teal is deliberately small and personal. Sally is very hands-on and works closely with both the kitchen and front-of-house teams, so this isn’t a restaurant where decisions are made somewhere else and passed down.
We’re still a young restaurant, which makes this an exciting time to join us. There’s plenty already established, but also lots of opportunity for the right person to contribute ideas, help shape the food and play a meaningful part in where Teal goes next.
Workplace Culture
Teal is a small team, so how we work together matters enormously. We want the kitchen to be ambitious and professional, but also somewhere people enjoy coming to work.
We believe great kitchens don’t need to run on shouting, ego or fear. We value clear communication, mutual respect, accountability and people who are happy to get stuck in. Everyone has a role to play, and we expect people to take pride in what they do, whether that’s developing a new dish or making sure the kitchen is left spotless at the end of service.
Because we’re a small independent restaurant, there’s nowhere to hide, but there’s also a real opportunity to have a voice. We welcome ideas, encourage creativity and want people who care about making the restaurant better rather than simply turning up for their shift.
Sally is very present in the business and wants to work collaboratively with the senior chef rather than dictate from a distance. We’re looking to build a kitchen where standards are high, feedback goes both ways and people support one another.
Above all, we want Teal to be a place where talented people can do great work, develop and feel proud of what they’re building together.
