Guess who eats at a butcher’s shop?
Over the other side of the world, on an unassuming street in Hackney, North London, nestled between a greasy spoon café and a non-descript red shop front is Hill & Szrok – a self-described ‘Master Butcher and Cookshop’.
By day, this store looks like what you’d expect – a butcher shop – selling organic and free-range meats. The store prides itself on emphasising provenance, giving ‘local lads’ apprenticeships and respecting the animal by utilising every last bit of the carcass.
But, by night it takes on another guise – the cookshop – a 15th century concept where shops that sold food would also cook it for their customers to eat, usually at communal tables. Fast-forward to present day and the team at Hill & Szrok have given this idea a 21st century make-over creating a lively neighbourhood restaurant.
However this store, with a split personality, has one string to it’s bow that will make Kiwis sit up and take notice. Peter Gordon, arguably one of New Zealand’s greatest exports, who runs two of London’s top restaurants just a few miles down the road in central London chooses to eat at the unassuming but self-aware Hill & Szrok as much as twice a week. Gordon, who was speaking at the New Zealand Foodwriters’ Conference this week, described the food at Hill & Szrok as ‘simple but with amazing quality meat’.
So, if you’re planning a trip over to Britain consider putting Hill & Szrok on the hitlist of places to visit – after all if it’s good enough for Peter Gordon, it’s good enough for us. But if you’re a butcher looking to broaden your horizons or diversify your business perhaps this Jekyll and Hyde concept might provide the inspirational spark you were looking for.
So, if you’re planning a trip over to Britain consider putting Hill & Szrok on the hitlist of places to visit – after all if it’s good enough for Peter Gordon, it’s good enough for us. But if you’re a chef looking to broaden your horizons or diversify your business perhaps this Jekyll and Hyde concept might provide the inspirational spark you were looking for.