Bacon jam and the peanut butter-based Elvis burger are among the offerings at a pop up outside the Duke of Hamilton, street food guru Richard Johnson tells Bridget Galton.
The Duke of Hamilton has long been a byword for serving up the best craft ales - but now it’s bringing the street food revolution to Hampstead.
The former CAMRA pub of the year is complementing its legendary drink offer with a pop up food shack outside its base in New End.
And what goes better with beer than a burger? Specifically a cheeky one flipped by Sebastien Lambot ex of The Chapel in Marylebone and Masterchef the Professionals who has operated his Cheeky Burger street food stall across London from Portobello to Shoreditch since 2013.
Now his winning combination of 100 percent meat patties (no egg or breadcrumbs) and homemade relishes such as chipotle mayo, jalapenos jam and bestseller bacon jam with the magic ingredient of Jack Daniels, comes to Hampstead from Friday to Sunday.
The menu includes a two-fisted burger, the Elvis (with peanut butter naturally) and the Motherducker with BBQ pulled duck, available from the specially built temporary street food shack outside the 300-year-old pub.
The pub’s kitchens will be used to make the “big pillowy Yorkshire puddings for their street food Sunday Roast” says Richard Johnson founder of the British Street Food Awards who was approached by landlord Steve Coxshall to suggest a street food trader to partner with.
“My own street food epiphany came in a car park in Peckham,” says the food journalist turned street food guru.
“You think you know what a burger is but this one blew me out of the water. Perfectly caramelised and juicy straight into your hand and into your mouth without it waiting two or three minutes on the pass to be served to you by a surly waiter.
“Street food makes so much sense, it’s democratic, affordable, hand held, and shouldn’t be grabbed by skinny trousered East Londoners. It’s nothing fancy, just a chance to eat delicious food with other people in a conducive environment whether in front of a big brazier in winter or with a bucket of iced beer in summer. It’s not fashionable it’s just food eaten together outdoors.”
Punters at The Duke of Hamilton will be able to buy their burgers then bring them back inside says Coxshall a former stockbroker and music manager.
“This was a chance to bring something new to Hampstead. Pubs are closing down all over London. But we are thriving because we work with the best partners like British Street Food.”
Johnson, who says Cheeky Burger serves some of the best patties in London hopes Hampstead is the first of many partnerships between pubs and street food traders.
“These great boozers are closing down because they can’t do more than peanuts and crisps. It’s a tragedy. Pairing them up with street traders in the cold winter months to reach a different crowd makes so much sense and I couldn’t think of a better place to start than The Duke. It isn’t just any old boozer, it’s a great local with a range of beers – Steve also brews his own and is very adaptable - there’s a theatre in the basement and live jazz featuring session musicians from Ronnie Scott’s. The great thing about street food is you can put it on, see how it goes, and can always can try something else.”
The Duke of Hamilton is at 23 New End, London NW3 1JD
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