MAGAZINE

Kitchen collaborations 

Over the years, we’ve written a lot about the power of pub kitchens and the draw decent pub food can have on guests. Whether we’re talking classics like burgers and pies, or a lengthy Sunday roast session – pub food has huge pulling power. This is nothing new.

However, what we also touch on from time to time are those operators who have chosen not to include an internal food offer within their business. It could be they’re drinks-led, it could be the kitchen space is too small, it could be they don’t want to manage a back-of-house team. Whatever the reason, food is not the focus. 

What can happen with these businesses is an external food operator comes in, creating a collaborative effort to entice more customers in through a pop-up, residency or permanent agreement, all hinging on a specialist or single food item. There are plenty of examples out there, such as White Men Can’t Jerk at south east London’s Prince of Peckham or Eat Momo at The Pyrotechnists Arms in Nunhead (sorry, I know they’re both very close together, but it’s my old stomping ground). 

Why am I telling you this? Well, this year, these pub residencies have been dominating the food awards circuit. In fact, not just this year. It happens a lot. Last month, Short Road Pizza won the National Pizza Awards – that business operates out of two east London pubs run by Exale Brewing (more on that from page 26). Weeks later, Bun X Norwich took top honours at the Street Food Championships. It currently operates two pub pop-ups at The Coach and Horses on Thorpe Road and its original at Micawbers Tavern. Last year, Bad Boy Pizza Society, which at the time operated at The Railway in Tulse Hill, also won the National Pizza Awards. I really could go on.

Crucially, when these outfits triumph at these national awards, people hear about it. In fact, as Short Road Pizza found out last month, it often leads to record-breaking sales, showing just how valuable certain collaborations can be.

Tristan O’Hana - Editor