Pub chef in new beer and food concept launch in London

Edward Halls, chef-patron of Greene King lease the Rose & Crown at Great Horkesley has teamed up with beer expert and central London pub owner Craig Douglas and old friend and Wineaux owner Barry McCaughley to unveil Three Blokes.

The concept will house at least eight ales and ‘great beer food’ and is set to open later this year or early 2013. Halls’ key responsibility will be on the food side, though it will be wet-led.

“We are going to be doing amazing simple ‘beer food’ based on American smoked food — the optimum beer food,” said Halls. “And we want to roll it out.
“It is a new concept in some ways as there are a lot of people opening craft-ale pubs but they are obsessed with the beer and the food is an after-thought.
“That happens with a lot of pubs. We’ll have a smoker doing the likes of barbecue ribs and less common cuts of steak, such as flat iron.”

Pub snacks will be the biggest part of the menu, with around 20 — including deep-fried macaroni cheese balls, pork sliders and home-made smoked fish dip for £3 each. There will be big sharing platters, while mains will cost from £8 to £10.

Halls anticipates growing to 15 sites in seven to 10 years in central London and maybe other cities too. The group is looking at central London sites with high footfall and the right demographics.

“We are flexible on the size and design of the first site with a budget of £200,000 to £250,000 — it’s all about finding the right site. We’ll open in London initially but the concept would work in other big cities such as Manchester and Newcastle.”

Three Blokes is looking to attract the 25 to 40-year-old age group and will have a strong internet presence.