JÖRO, one of Sheffield’s finest dining institutions, has moved to a larger site. Co-founder Stacey Sherwood-French explains why the time was right.
Early Beginnings
One of the great pleasures in the early days of my career was working alongside Tom Parker Bowles on the food content we produced across a London lifestyle magazine I edited. I always found him rather quirky, very down to earth, and incredibly knowledgeable about his food—so it’s no surprise really that he kick-started the cult of JÖRO.
An Acclaimed Culinary Experience
Today, JÖRO is the nationally acclaimed restaurant, renowned for its innovative and Nordic/Japanese-inspired cuisine, rustled up in Sheffield. Launched by married duo, Luke French and Stacey Sherwood-French, it truly was something fresh on the culinary scene in Yorkshire—but did need a little helping hand in the early stages.
“It took a little while in the beginning because it was so different,” Stacey says in the initial response. “We lost track of the number of times someone said ‘it’s not going to work.’ But we stood by it, and around four months after opening, Tom Parker Bowles came in for lunch and wrote our very first review. He loved it, and after this, we were busy. People knew what they were coming for, and they loved it, too. It was a huge relief!”
A Unique Culinary Vision
It was at the tail end of 2016 that Luke and Stacey decided the time was right to launch a new venture together.
“The restaurant is and always has been an expression of us both,” Stacey says on the Nordic/Japanese-inspired cuisine. “The food and experience that we offer are based on our own experiences of travelling. Over the years we developed an obsession with both the food we ate in Asia along with Nordic dishes and ingredients. We like certain flavours, ingredients, and cooking techniques that we witnessed, particularly in Japan, Copenhagen, and you can often see flavours from Thailand, Indonesia, and India too.”
The First Location: A Shipping Container
For something so new, it’s little surprise they decided to open in a shipping container.
“Sheffield was where we both met, and having both grown up in the countryside, a city with the Peak District on its doorstep really is the best of both worlds for us,” Stacey says on their first location. “Sheffield and the people we have met here quickly became home, and when the opportunity for Krynkl arose, we snapped it up. Despite it being a shipping container development, we wanted to do something new in hospitality for the city, and a new style of building we thought would suit that perfectly. We like to do new and exciting things. We have never been the couple to follow the trend but rather have a go at something different. Our landlord and the space at Krynkl allowed us the opportunity to trial something new with lower risk than a typical setup.”
The Move to Oughtibridge Paper Mill
It’s fair to say the risk paid off, and this month, the two are relocating JÖRO to a new site within the iconic Oughtibridge Paper Mill development on the edge of the Peak District. The new location will enable Luke and Stacey to offer two bars, an all-day dining terrace, an outdoor kitchen, bedrooms, and a deli shop on site.
“One of the main reasons for moving is to enhance our service,” Stacey explains. “We ran out of space quickly at Krynkl for JÖRO, back of the house, and also front of the house for guest areas. We can’t wait to have a bar area and lounge for guests, as well as an open restaurant so all guests can see the kitchen and, therefore receive the same experience.
“We have our own car park and bedrooms on site, so overall, the experience will be more cohesive from start to finish,” she adds. “We won’t be turning our evening tables either so guests have better timings too. Back of house, the entire kitchen and bar is new and custom-made, state-of-the-art equipment means we will see the menus get even better too.”
True to JÖRO’s Identity
The relocated restaurant will remain true to JÖRO’s identity, also drawing inspiration from local suppliers, classic training, and ancient cooking principles from Japan to Norway. JÖRO’s signature tasting menus apply innovation to the finest native ingredients, such as Barnsley Lamb, to bring some of the best modern cooking the city has ever seen.
The New Terrace Menu
The new terrace menu will be prepared using revolutionary live-fire techniques, with meat and fish cooked over birch wood and charcoal, allowing diners to relish the smoky, robust flavors. The global grill menu will be in partnership with Big Green Egg and includes highlights such as Grilled Scottish Scallop, Salt-aged Yorkshire beef rump cap, and Whole teriyaki quail, served alongside snacks, salads, and bread. To finish, desserts include Basque blueberry cheesecake, Yuzu meringue pie, and a menu of soft-serve ice creams, such as Pistachio, Caviar, and Salted butter rum caramel.
Accommodations and Shop by JÖRO
The site will offer five studio rooms and two one-bedroom apartments, giving guests the chance to stay for a foodie night or weekend stay. Designed by Luke and Stacey, the rooms are Scandi-inspired, offering a calming atmosphere with views of the Peak District border, and will include a kitchen, en-suites, and homemade continental-style breakfasts delivered to the room.
The site will also be home to Shop by JÖRO, a deli shop within the mill, selling a range of everyday ingredients including teas, coffees, JÖRO’s own wine and gin, and cured meats. Additionally, the shop will sell quality produce used in the kitchens at JÖRO, such as barrel-aged soy sauce, allowing guests to take a piece of the JÖRO experience home.
Konjö’s Evolution
Konjö, JÖRO’s street food concept, will not be forgotten.
“Konjö has gained a big following for our eastern Asian-inspired dishes, having the same ethos as JÖRO, and the access to the same suppliers and produce is what keeps it unique and the quality so good,” Stacey says. “With its move to Krynkl, the food will take a step up with a bigger kitchen, cool restaurant space, and a top drinks menu with the very best service.”
A Bright Future Ahead
There’s no doubt the critics will be lining up round the block to sample the new look JÖRO. For Luke and Stacey, this is the culmination of 13 years of working together, but with all this, do they switch off?
“Well, the honest answer is no,” Stacey laughs. “But you learn to manage your time so that work can be separated from home life. It’s really down to how much you want to separate and when. Any business owner works around the clock, and to be honest, it actually makes it easier when you have someone to share the workload and stress with. We both know how busy the other is and the times when this is increased, so we are able to support and help where needed, too.” A dream team, indeed.
For more information, visit JÖRO’s official website.
