The Hunter’s Moon
In the UK, The Hunter’s Moon has traditionally marked the time that stores need to be filled for the upcoming winter – to go and hunt for the last time and prepare for the cold to come. It was the time in folklore that father and son would hunt for the last time until spring, that the fires would start to be stoked, the smokers prepared and the larders filled; ready for an extended period of time inside where people would find solace in the warmth of their cottages. This tradition represents how families and communities worked together at the sign of The Hunter’s Moon in order to remain comfortable and well fed in otherwise times of hardship. Opened in early autumn, The Hunter’s Moon pub in London represents all of this and more.
Hubert, co-owner of The Hunter’s Moon told PREMIER HOSPITALITY all about it:
“I’ve been running Gastro-Pubs in Fulham and Chelsea for the best part of nine years and I realised that to have a creative stamp or the ability to call something my own was really important for me. When you work for small independent groups, you learn a lot but you have products dictated to you, and I wanted a product which I could have my own say- which I have now done.”
After taking on a course in business for 18 months, spending time carefully planning and putting together the model, and deciding the site, Hubert leads us up to where the Hunter’s Moon stands today.
“For me, what was really key was creating a warm and friendly environment with a relaxed atmosphere that offers top-tier food. How I got about the name and concept, was simple. I wanted to split the building into two parts; a pub/lounge/morning room where people can drink and eat that is very directed at comfort and people walking in. On the other side is a more formal dining room, where those who want to be organised and have a seat and eat could do.”
Now open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, The Hunter’s Moon offers a daily-changing menu of modern European dishes such as scallop ceviche with whipped avocado, pickled ginger and truffled ponzu; slow roast suckling pork belly with apple tarte fine, Morteau sausage, choucroute and Madeira sauce; and blackberry and custard pavlova with pink praline crunch.
The front pub area offers a more casual menu of snacks and sharing plates, from hearty scotch eggs and sausage rolls to courgette and ricotta croquettes. A blackboard champions a range of meat cuts and daily specials, whilst an extensive wine list sits alongside premium spirits, lagers and real ales. This area also champions comfort and is perfect for more intimate get-togethers, with its cosy nooks and comfy aged leather armchairs, whilst the dining room, flooded with natural light, offers homely touches from an original AGA to an open fireplace.
At the weekend, customers can indulge in a Saturday brunch with dishes including huevos rancheros with grilled flatbreads; and eggs benedict with Gochujang hollandaise and crispy pork belly. A classic Sunday roast features a choice of prime cuts from treacle cured sirloin of Stokes Marsh Farm beef; to butter roast cornfed chicken with bread sauce, along with all the trimmings and plenty of added extras to share.
David Drummond, Director of Stenball Group, the contractor who worked on The Hunter’s Moon site at its beginning explained their side of the project:
“What we started with when we came to this project was the front door and two completely blank floors. There was nothing. But now, it has a commercial kitchen, it’s furnished, has air conditioning, complete new wiring , new plumbing and an easy access toilet on the ground floor, completed and handed back to the client in five weeks!
“To approach a project like this, it’s down to planning. We’ve got a strong team who have been working with each other for a very long time and although it’s our first time working with Boxx Design, we gelled really well. With a good team you’re able to get good results. Timing was the main challenge, and the logistics due to the location made the project slightly trickier. That was mainly down to there being nowhere to locate a skip, and only one way into the building. You do have to be flexible in these projects, it’s about creating the programme beforehand so when you start on site , it all slots together. Lastly, from our point of view it has been nice to work for a private company to see them grow and be successful.”
Hubert added:
“We were lucky in the fact that we had a blank canvas to work with and we implanted everything inside the building. That was good, because it allowed us to really use a creative brush and just get the building exactly the way we wanted it to be. It also allowed me to choose where the kitchen would be, where the toilets would be and the cellar as effectively as possible so that we could run services in a way that was good for our customers.
“We did a soft launch at the end of September, followed by a launch party, and then we ran a 50% off food offer for that weekend. We’ve been very busy, rammed as it were, at the weekend. We’re really glad of the response and that people wanted to come down and check us out. The Hunter’s Moon is something I’ve been working towards for a long time. It’s something I’m committed to giving my all, and putting my heart and head into. It’s my debut, my child, and I’m going to look after it in that fashion.”
To find out more visit: https://huntersmoonlondon.co.uk/
