Right on Kew
The Inn at Kew Gardens has had such a turnaround of fortunes - not least due to a £1m makeover - that it reached the finals in a gastro competition. Humayun Hussain finds out why
If Junaid Shubrati, or Jay as he likes to be known, general manager of the Inn at Kew Gardens, sounds a little tired, he can be forgiven; he had been out partying the night before.
But Shubrati wasn't living it up at his own pub. He was at Time Out magazine's food awards, where his establishment was one of four shortlisted in the capital's Best Gastropub category. The pub didn't win, but that didn't stop Shubrati enjoying himself or detract from the fact that the Inn at Kew Gardens, in Kew, Surrey, has undergone an astonishing transformation, having previously had an unsavoury reputation.
It's hard to believe that we're talking about a pub in the heart of leafy Kew, just a few minutes from the area's treasured Royal Botanical Gardens.
Spotting a golden opportunity, the Capital Pub Company took over the 150-year-old premises. A £1m refurbishment saw the property transformed with a new open-plan kitchen, a warm and inviting dining area, a soothing Victorian-style bar and 19 bedrooms designed to bespoke standards.
The rough crowd had gone and in its place came an eclectic mix of respectable punters ranging from families with young children to couples, groups and the elderly. And in came Shubrati, who arrived earlier this year after successfully running the Ladbroke Arms in west London's Ladbroke Road.
Spacious interior
"It sounds like such a cliché," says Shubrati, "but the pub really has become the sort of place where everyone knows your name and if they don't, they soon will. The ethos of a good old-fashioned pub is that it's an open house that welcomes everyone with good food and drink - and this we have more than fulfilled."
The Inn at Kew Gardens (formerly known as the Kew Gardens Hotel) features a cosy entrance bar leading to a dining room with booth seating opposite the kitchen, combined with a conservatory-style corner with tables and chairs and a beer garden outside.
There is also a mezzanine lounge section - that can be hired out for private parties - which is reached by a spiral staircase. The interior is spacious with oak and flagstone floors and the bedrooms are on the upper floors.
The unpretentious British menu, overseen by chef Anthony Hope, changes fortnightly.
"I may be the overall boss, but I stay out of Anthony's way and he stays out of mine," says a realistic Shubrati.
"He's doing a fantastic job and he more than fits my criteria of a good chef - he serves up the basics such as steaks, soups and salads and everything else is a bonus.
"Our operation isn't about offering haute cuisine or having a chef with a god complex. It's about good, honest cooking that works."
Locally-sourced produce
Produce is sourced as locally as possible, but as Shubrati points out, it's all relative to pricing as buying locally isn't always cheaper.
"We add a strong taste of the home-made to our bar food, whatever the dish," he says.
"So if a customer wants olives, we serve
a combination of black and green olives
marinated in chilli, extra-virgin olive oil and mixed herbs.
"Nothing comes out of a packet, and certain items are made to look rustic by being presented on a thick wooden board.
Shubrati and chef Hope recently decided to offer dishes made with organic ingredients. But Shubrati is adamant that the pub should not be perceived automatically as an expensive place to eat.
"We have no intention of alienating customers - we're not going to get poncy," he maintains.
Facts 'n' Stats
Covers per week: 500-700
Turnover: £1.4m
Owner: Capital Pub Company
Average food spend per head: £7 lunch, £14-£18 dinner
Wet:dry split: 35:65
Beers: various ales with an emphasis on local brews such as Twickenham Original or Grand Union Gold, brewed in Hayes, Middlesex. Also Greene King IPA, Adnams Bitter and London Pride. Lagers include Kronenberg, Stella, Budvar, Becks, San Miguel, Strongbow and Foster's. Bottled beers include, Corona, Becks, Michelob and Budweiser.
Wines: 15 whites (five by the glass) and 20 reds (five by the glass)
Best business idea in the last year: "Viewing the pub as a venue for customers rather than just a pub where they pop in for a drink and a quick bite. We not only encourage customers to have a drink at the bar and dinner in the dining area, but also to treat the pub as a regular place for them and their friends. That way we offer them a whole package such as a themed evening - a cheese and wine- tasting night or a bridge night. It makes them feel they are in a place which is a home away from home."
ON THE MENU
Starters
Roast vegetable and goats' cheese galette £5.25
Seared tuna with sesame crust and Thai vegetable salad £5.75
Mains
Roast haddock with sauté potatoes, Parma ham & tartare sauce £11
Braised belly of pork with spring greens and sweet potato champ £11.50
Desserts
Fresh fruit meringue £4.95
Chocolate chip muffins with banana & coffee ice-cream £4.95
