Chef and restaurateur Michael Rantissi and Kristy Frawley (Kepos Street Kitchen) have joined forces with Andy Bowdy and Maddison Howes (previously Saga Enmore) to open Salma’s Canteen in Rosebery on July 12.

The co-chefs and co-owners are all life partners who have travelled extensively and eaten around the world, which has helped shape the produce-driven food on offer at the new venue.

Rantissi, who grew up in Tel Aviv, Israel, has named the canteen in Sydney’s Rosebery in honour of his mother, Salma. Rantissi, who also has a weekly stall at Carriageworks, says Salma means ‘peace’ and is the perfect name for the café as “everyone has a woman who is like a Salma in their life”.

“Mum’s love for food and her love of cooking was perfectly suited to the name of our canteen. Mum is the best host and an incredible cook and she’s full of love and giving and that’s what this new place is about. I come from a big family and food has always been central to my life,” he says.

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Rantissi says the shared vision for Salma’s was to create a minimalist space that was all about “an abundance of food, hospitality and affordability”.

“You can order over the counter. You can sit and share a table and eat. You can take something with you for dinner. It’s all about simplicity. I want it to feel like visiting a friend or family,” he says.

The eatery features an abundance of Bowdy’s pastries and cakes alongside Rantissi’s signature salads, which will change with the seasons, as well as vegetables and proteins and dishes to take home for a DIY dinner. The canteen also features a selection of Bowdy’s signature treats such as salted honey tart and yuzu cheesecake. 

Modelled on a casual, yet contemporary canteen, Salma’s also features a carefully curated array of offerings such as grab-and-go sandwiches and dips. While Bowdy says he’s looking forward to sharing a kitchen with Rantissi, it’s not the first time the pair have worked together.  

“Michael and I are good friends. I’ve always looked up to him. I worked for him as a pastry chef at Pink Salt about 18 years ago. He’s a great mentor,” says Bowdy.  

Bowdy says the food on offer is also representative of the cuisine the two couples have enjoyed on their travels. “There’s going to be an abundance of good honest food that is fresh and seasonal.”

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