For those that don’t already know, Galvin Hop is the flagship of the newly-formed Galvin Pub Group on Spital Square next door to La Chapelle. Galvin HOP is a Pub Deluxe where the freshest craft beer rubs shoulders with simple but innovative pub food of the highest quality in a relaxed and vibrant environment.
A soon as we met Chef Chris, his infectious enthusiasm for his job, the venue and (praise the lord!) his Synergy Grill was instantly visible and didn’t abate for our entire visit.
We learnt how the team make everything from scratch each day at Galvin Hop – even the crisps and the popcorn. It’s a these little touches and extra effort that give the venue deep rooted character for every one of the senses.
Here’s what he had to say about his Synergy:
“In the mornings it’s incredible. I come in, get Henry the Hoover out and give it a quick whip round. It takes me longer to get the hoover up and down the stairs than it does to clean the grill.”
“It’s interesting too because it doesn’t kick out phenomenal heat. You can have your hand over it and it’s not too hot.”
“I put the salmon on. We bar mark it both sides and it’s still completely raw so we rest it in a nice gentle warm spot and let it come through. It marks beautifully. Like I say, I’ve got nothing to do with these guys. It makes no odds to me if this grill works or not. Having used this I think it’s the nuts. I really, really, really do. There’s no reason for me to say this. It’s just really great.”
After a positive meeting, we had coffee, juicy chargrilled steak cooked on Galvin Hop’s Synergy Grill (naturally) and sampled Galvin’s Hop’s famous hot dogs served with fresh Maille truffle mustard.
The ‘dogs’ lived up to their glowing reputation – devilishly tasty, somehow retaining that authentic hot-dog taste whilst ‘Michelin-Starred’ up to a transcendent new hot-doggy level. Don’t try to think about what that tastes like; it will break your mind… pop down to Galvin Hop and try one instead.
Sunday Brunch was recently a topic of hot debate as we seethed with jealousy and distain for Simon and Tim. Not just because they’re Simon and Tim but because they were sampling an entire table full of ribs and we were jealous. Very jealous. They were just sampling the usual pork ribs but lamb and beef too – all slathered in scrumptious looking sauce. ‘They get paid to do eat ribs’. I thought. ‘This is their life’.
Just a few weeks later we were standing in our newly refurbished demo kitchen. Our Marketing Manager’s face and hands were covered with rib sauce. It was in our new Sales Manager Carl’s beard, it was in our Ops Manager’s hair. It was even up the newly painted kitchen walls.
There’d been no accident or gas mishap, nor had we succumbed to a childish food fight or an argument. This is what happens when the boys from Ribs & Burgers, part of the Seagrass group, swing by to test out our Synergy Grills and bring a truck load of meat with them. It’s the sign of enjoying your food; really enjoying your food.
Gary Evans, our MD was so excited, the only words he could muster at one point were, ‘Meat. Fire. Love. Arghhhhhhh.’
Despite having successful restaurants all over Australia and in the USA, they have ventured across the pond to open a new site in Teddington, London. And what lucky pommes we are they are they’ve brought their ribs to good Ol’ Blighty!
Eating them isn’t a dainty affair but we’re not precious and wowee these ribs are tasty! Pork, beef and lamb ribs put the grill to the test, some with dry rub, some with a sticky sauce made from a secret family recipe. It really was the sauciest of sauces.
With a contented smile on my face I realised we were living the Sunday Brunch dream. Then steaks came out, then the burgers. This was better than the Sunday Brunch dream.
Their philosophy that: “We believe honest food and genuine hospitality can help feed a better world. So muster up some mates, place your order, grab yourself a table, order a drink and relax while we prepare your food fresh to order.” Is an actualisation of the boys’ natural demeanour which combined with their secret family recipes simply must be the key to their success.
Here’s what George Stathakopoulos, Managing Director of Seagrass for the UK has to say about the Synergy Grill “The grill is the heart of our kitchen operations. It’s an integral component of our product and service offering that reflects: the graded premium selection of our butcher’s meat, the retention of the flavourful and natural juices during the grilling process, and; the expeditious delivery of tender, tasty meals that our customers deserve. This is precisely the reason why we have specified the Synergy grills for our casual dining restaurants.”
~ By Claire Wickes
To celebrate National BBQ Week, we find out from Synergy customers why they believe our grills provide more control than charcoal.
Richard O’Connell, Executive Chef at Tom’s Kitchens commented: “We have been thoroughly impressed with the Synergy Grill. Cooking on it creates juicier, more succulent meat with less shrinkage on burgers. Sharp branding creates an authentic BBQ flavour without the hassle of lighting charcoal or the temperature fluctuations associated with traditional barbecuing. This combined with an easy hoovering cleaning method is what every chef won’t believe until they see it.”
Head Chef Stevie Robson at The Cookhouse commented: “There are so many things I like about the Synergy Grill such as the ease of turning it on and off. When you compare that to lighting charcoal every morning, it seems ludicrous. Because it is only one consistent temperature all the time, you don’t have to worry about maintaining the temperature of the charcoal.
“In addition to all that work you’ve got to adhere to much stricter fire regulations and it pushes your insurance premiums up.”
James Peck, Head Chef at Barton Hall Hotel said: “We had a charcoal grill but it burnt a whole in the ozone layer! We had to soak it with lighting fluid 1½ hours before each service and light it twice a day. The temperature went from one extreme to the other. With the Synergy Grill the temperature is really consistent. And provides more controlled cooking and it creates juicier meat.”
“You literally couldn’t do a rare steak using the charcoal grill because it was such a furnace. As soon as you put it in and shut the door, it was incinerated. With a Synergy although it’s hot, you can see and touch the meat to see how it’s cooking.”
“Our charcoal grill ruined our ventilation system. We went from having it cleaned once a year to quarterly and we still can’t get all the black marks off the ceiling despite having if professionally cleaned.”
- Consistent, perfect temperature
- Easy to light (no fire lighters!)
- No need to store charcoal
- You can turn it off between services
- Lower insurance premiums
- Much easier on ventilation systems
- Healthier for chefs to cook over
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