About Us
Waterfront Restaurant in Halifax
Celebrating the best of salt-in-your-hair, sand-in-your-toes surf culture, Salt + Ash Beach House is a welcoming waterfront retreat that combines familiar coastal fare and live-fire cooking under one roof. Relaxed enough for a round of pizza and beers yet special enough for a celebratory steak dinner, our bright and airy dining room is both inviting and laid-back, offering a cozy escape from the daily grind.
We pride ourselves on using quality, local ingredients to deliver simply prepared dishes that showcase the best of Nova Scotia. Chef Kayla Nelson’s approachable menu of comforting, rustic, and hearty dishes with a touch of coastal flair offers something for everyone, from pizzas and an impressive array of grilled and smoked meat and seafood, to unique brunch dishes and late-night snacks. At Salt + Ash, there’s no greater joy than sinking your teeth into a lip-smacking burger, succulent piece of fried chicken, a perfectly-charred pepperoni pie or crispy fish and chips made fresh to order. Joining with friends? Our selection of shareable kitchen party platters can’t be missed.
The ideal complement to a crackling fire, delicious food and good company, our selection of local craft beers and ciders, new and old world wines, and imaginative cocktails offers plenty of easy breezy options for the post-surf and post-work crowd alike. If that wasn’t enough, our picturesque seaside setting and uninterrupted harbour views might just be the cherry on top.
Come see for yourself… we’ll save you a spot.
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Bill Osborne
District Executive Chef
Born and raised in Ontario, Chef Bill Osborne’s culinary journey has taken him around the world and across Canada to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he has settled in his current position as District Executive Chef at Freehand Hospitality. In this role, Chef Bill oversees culinary direction at Café Lunette, Peacock Wine Bar, and now Salt+ Ash.
Kayla Nelson
Chef De Cuisine
At Salt + Ash, Kayla Nelson has a fire in her belly for cooking delicious, satisfying food. Deeply inspired by the power of live fuel cooking, local and sustainable ingredients, as well as the creativity and knowledge of her team, Chef Kayla is excited to dive headfirst into this brand new culinary concept.
Contact Us
SALT + ASH BEACH HOUSE
170-1741 Lower Water Street,
Halifax, NS, B3J 0J2
902.334.5999
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Bill Osborne
District Executive Chef
After earning a diploma in Culinary Management from Niagara College, Bill immediately began apprenticing at Wellington Court, one of the top fine dining restaurants in Niagara. His natural ability, combined with his highly curated technique and skill set, led him to his next role at Scaramouche, Toronto’s renowned fine dining restaurant. Having built a solid reputation on the Toronto food scene, Chef Bill’s desire to expand his culinary horizon propelled him across the pond. His international experience kicked off in London, England, where he worked and trained at the Michelin-starred Foliage at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge, followed by a role at Bar Boulud in London, working directly with critically acclaimed chef Daniel Boulud. His passion, skill, and ability to fuse exciting flavours into classic French cuisine impressed Chef Boulud, who then appointed Chef Bill to the prestigious position of Sous Chef of DB Bistro Moderne at the luxury Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore.
With classical training under the world’s culinary leaders, it was only natural for Chef Bill to return home and take up residence as Senior Sous Chef at Canoe, one of Canada’s top restaurants. His talent, quiet leadership, refined technique and penchant for creating beautiful and exquisite tasting dishes, quickly impressed the Oliver & Bonacini culinary team and lead him to rise through the ranks and earn the role of Chef de Cuisine of the brand-new America Restaurant, where he would deliver a never-before-seen contemporary and lavish take on classic American cuisine. In 2015, Bill was appointed Chef de Cuisine at Biff’s Bistro, O&B’s enchanting Parisian-inspired haunt, where he spent nearly five years at the helm.
In 2020, Chef Bill and his wife and colleague Cori (and their daughter Ruby!) made the leap east to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where they would take the lead on opening several exciting new dining concepts under Freehand Hospitality. Now, as Chef Bill turns his attention towards Salt + Ash, he is looking forward to welcoming the Halifax community to experience live fire cooking in all its glory.
Kayla Nelson
Chef De Cuisine
Over the last six years, Chef Kayla has cut her teeth in kitchens in Toronto, England and Halifax. In January 2017, she helped open Liberty Commons at Big Rock Brewery, Oliver & Bonacini Hospitality’s farm-to-table brewpub with a wood-fire grill. There, she found a true mentor in Executive Chef and British ex-pat Ryan Lister, who pushed her to think about food in new and exciting ways, as well as soak up inspiration from her diverse peer group — from fellow cooks to bartenders to dishwashers. Chef Ryan also encouraged Kayla’s ambitions of applying for a visa and moving to the U.K. by herself to cook, learn, travel and grow.
In England, Chef Kayla discovered her passions for cooking with fire, sustainable and ethical practices, and wild and foraged ingredients. Over two years, she enjoyed stints at renowned establishments such as River Cottage, a 100-acre farm and champion of organic, local and seasonal food; Hunter Gather Cook, a cooking school in the East Sussex woodland; Native, an intimate London restaurant with a strong sustainability ethos; and Old Dairy Kitchen, an educational kitchen and community dining space on Trill Farm in East Devon.
Chef Kayla returned to Canada at the end of 2019 with the intention of travelling to Sweden the following spring. The pandemic had other plans, and she was forced to navigate a series of lockdowns and reopenings at O&B restaurants, including Biff’s Bistro and Babel. At Biff’s, she worked closely with Executive Chef Bill Osborne, who would eventually relocate to Halifax to launch Freehand Hospitality. Chef Kayla was immediately curious about Halifax career opportunities, and Chef Bill knew she would be the perfect person to oversee Freehand’s yet-to-be-named live fuel concept. In September 2021, Chef Kayla packed up her two cats, aptly named Catrick Swayze and Baby, and headed east.
Over the last 18 months, Chef Kayla has confidently supported several Freehand Hospitality openings at Drift, BKS and Daryâ. Now, as Chef Kayla sets her sights on Salt + Ash full-time, she is well-prepared to execute a menu of fire-kissed crowd pleasers — from cedar plank scallops to fall-off-the-bone BBQ lamb to handmade pizzas.
When she’s not in the kitchen painstakingly testing pizza dough techniques or chewing the fat with her local wood supplier, you might find Kayla hiking in the great outdoors, mixing up a Hendrick’s G&T or at home cuddling with Catrick and Baby.
RESERVATIONS
Please note that all available tables are listed on OpenTable for groups of up to 8 guests. Please consider another time if you are unable to find your requested reservation. For groups of 9 guests or more, please call the restaurant.
Thank you for your understanding!
Hours
Lunch
Mon–Fri: 11am–3pm
Dinner
Mon–Wed: 5–10pm
Thurs–Sun: 5–11pm
Bar
Mon–Thurs: 11am–midnight
Fri + Sat: 11am–2am
Sun: 11am–midnight
Brunch
Sat + Sun + Holiday Mon: 11am–3pm
Get in touch
902.334.5999