Chef Who Co-Founded Breadless Is Opening His Own Restaurant in Southfield

Ryan Eli Salter, who is part of the trio that founded the leafy green-leaning sandwich shop Breadless on the eastside, is branching out with his own spot. Coming July 1 on the ground level of the Radisson Hotel Southfield-Detroit at 26555 Telegraph Road is Salt & Ko, described as a gastropub featuring American fare made with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, a full bar, live entertainment, monthly brunch parties, and a line of n/a social tonics.

The restaurant is set in a 3,200-square-foot space and is being designed by Lux Living 365 and built out by R.M. Remodeling Solutions. The menu will include several comfort food staples, but with a twist, including a drunken pig sandwich with slow-roasted pulled pork in a red wine barbecue sauce, sliders made with lamb, and ginger and thyme salmon with lavender rice pilaf. To drink, Salt & Ko will offer cocktails, plus a line of house-made draft mocktails.

Salter is one of three founders of Breadless, the fast-casual sandwich shop in Rivertown that opened a year ago to much fanfare. In 2015, the Harlem native completed his studies at the now defunct International Culinary Center in Soho and helped to launch the Caribbean bar and restaurant Angel of Harlem, before making his way to Detroit where he headed the food service operations at the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre. The Villanova University graduate went on to further his involvement in Detroit’s food scene in 2018 when he founded Salt & Ko, a full-service catering company, and that same year, participated in the experimental pop-up restaurant Dream Cafe, a collaborative effort that launched during the Allied Media Conference inside the now shuttered Cass Cafe. That project served as a one-off pilot that showcased what a restaurant model driven by equity could look like.

Salt & Ko is currently looking to hire hosts, servers, dishwashers, prep cooks, and line cooks and reservations will be open on June 15.