0 0 results
Your search so far return 0 results
Your search did not match anything. Try a different search?
Portman MarylebonePortman Marylebone
Shop | Eat & Drink | Stay | About

Home

  • Shop
  • Eat & Drink
  • Stay
  • Seymour place
  • New Quebec street
  • Chiltern street
  • Local highlights
  • About Us
  • Find Us
  • Editor´s Picks
  • News & Views
  • Marylebone Journal
Editorial
Words
Marylebone Journal
9 Oct 2018
Ricky Williams, managing director of Boxcar Butcher and Grill and Boxcar Baker and Deli, on his relationship with food

BOXCAR: FOOD PHILOSOPHY

 

1. I’m originally from Durban, South Africa. I got into the hospitality industry when I left school—at first just to make money, but after a while I started to find my love of food and wine. I ended up managing a restaurant, but decided I wanted to move over to London. When I got here, it was like an entirely different industry. I had to start again. I went back to being a waiter and worked my way up through the ranks.

2. We’ve got regulars who’ve been with us pretty much from the beginning. We have a gentleman who comes in every Tuesday for his chicken. While he’s waiting we give him a coffee on the house.

3. If you push your finger into a cut of raw meat, if it’s spongy and bounces back, generally it’s quite commercial and more than likely going to be a bit tough. If it leaves a little bit of an indentation, that’s usually a sign of good quality. If you’ve got white fat, typically that’s a grain-fed piece of beef, whereas if you’ve got more creamy coloured fat, it’ll be grass-fed. You can tell just by looking at it. A couple of little tips and tricks!

4. It’s dealing with people that I enjoy more than anything else—talking to them, finding out more about them and giving them a great experience. That’s why I’ve stuck around.

5. To perfect the Boxcar burger, we broke down every single little part: the type of meat, its fat content, the ageing process. We decided on a sharp cheddar, so that you’re able to taste the cheese without overpowering the flavour of the meat, and a lightly toasted brioche bun to keep it all together. The tomatoes are semi-dried, so that they’re sweeter and more flavoursome. The bacon is cured in beer and treacle, and comes from a fantastic farm. We put it all together with burger sauce and our beetroot relish, for something a little different.

6. Food has become my life over the last couple of years. There’s a lot of eating out! I try to do as much market research as I can.

7. People often don’t know exactly where their food comes from. Part of what we do is to educate the customer. As part of our training procedures, our new staff do a shift down with the butcher. We’ve got a story to tell and we want them to be able to pass that on to customers.

8. Boxcar is all about premium produce. All of it is local or British as far as possible and is sourced ethically. We meet all of the farmers who supply us in person. One of them, Charles Ashbridge, is well-known in the meat market and a fantastic guy. He’s a third-generation farmer and bought his first cow at the age of six. The sheer love and pride he takes in his animals is shown in the quality of meat.

9. Staff welfare is important. I lead 40 individuals and I want to give them the best possible experience. I want this to not just be a place where they come to work, but to be fun and interesting, with team camaraderie. I try to lead by example and treat people how I want to be treated. The more you put into people, the more you’ll get out of them.

 

Interview: Ellie Costigan

Images: Emily Kelly

Also Popular

Philglas & Swiggot: Tools of the trade

Philglas & Swiggot: Tools of the trade

Angelique van Bommel of Philglas & Swiggot on a vital piece of vinous equipment Read more
Zetter Townhouse: Parlour Games

Zetter Townhouse: Parlour Games

Seymour’s Parlour at The Zetter Townhouse is one of London’s most distinctive, inventive bars. The Journal pays a visit to hear the elaborate fiction that underpinned its creation and discover how stories of Uncle Seymour are rendered into boozy form Read more
Portman Marylebone welcomes Everbean Deli

Portman Marylebone welcomes Everbean Deli

Seymour Place is seeing no glimmer of the much-feared January blues, thanks in large to the arrival of Everbean Deli, which has now opened its doors on the street.   Read more

Stay in touch

The Portman  Estate
 
40 Portman Square, London W1H 6LT
  • The Portman Estate


  • Customer Service
  • Terms & Conditions
  • www.portmanestate.co.uk
  • Portman Marylebone

  • About Us
  • Find Us
  • Editor´s Picks
  • News & Views

Privacy Policy Cookie Notice Site Map © The Portman Estate
Visit Seymour Place    Visit New Quebec street    Visit Chiltern street

Join our newsletter Promotions · News · Events

Thank you for subscribing. Please look out for an email from us with further instructions.
Almost there! Please enter your full name.
The email address you have entered is already registered. Please choose another one.
Some required information is missing or incomplete. Please make sure all required entries are complete and then try again.
Your e-mail address will not be used to send unsolicited e-mails, and will not be sold or shared with a 3rd party.

Thank you for verifying your email address

You have now been added to the mailing list and will receive the next email information in the coming weeks. If you ever wish to unsubscribe, simply use the "Unsubscribe" link included in each newsletter.