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Gareth Birchley

@garethbirchley

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@burnsandgermanvintners
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Ex Mayor of Richmond
Life tastes better in Jeroboam

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When the Turbot is too big to rinse in the sink... it might as well turn into a party. At least he went out with a bang! #Turbo #Turbot #Champagne #Taittinger #Magnum by @garethbirchley

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6 years ago

Delighted to announce my partnership with @aperolspritzuk as one of the Aperol Tribe.

Watch this space for plenty more content on one of my absolute favourite drinks @aperolspritzofficial

Cheers!

#Aperol #AperolSpritz #ad #gifted taken in Richmond Upon Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom by @garethbirchley

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4 years ago

Yesterday the absolute legends from @clothrestaurants opened in the iconic Simpsons on Cornhill site and @jonny_white took me for lunch.

It’s absolutely as good as everyone says. Best pint of my life. Best Barnsley of my life.

Run don’t walk. Believe the hype…

@jep_haynes @benedictbutterworth by @garethbirchley

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16 days ago

Lads lunches look different these days…

Thank you @jacktmevans @the_pig_hotels taken in The Pig Hotel by @garethbirchley

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a month ago

As I’m decanting a bottle of Vintage Port for Sunday lunch and feeling distinctly autumnal, it seems ridiculous that just last weekend it was twenty six degrees and the climax of the cricket season.

What started as an instruction from the Doc to do more exercise became the highlight of the summer. I sought out a local village team at random and what I found was a community of new mates to whom Inkpen CC is so much more than cricket. A lifeline to more than a handful of people. We were welcomed with open arms, quickly christened “Fortnum & Mason” by the legend @big_dave_lester and I even found a bit of form from a bygone era.

Averaging 56 with the bat across the season, despite a pair on a couple of dodgy wickets. It has emerged, apparently, that I’m an Astro wicket specialist, averaging well above Bradman on the artificial surface. What that tells me is that the uncovered pitches, along with the rule of retiring at 50, are what have kept me from an international call up this winter.

Village cricket is everything that is great about the British Summer and, to be honest, I’m gutted it’s over. What a glorious sport this is. taken in Inkpen by @garethbirchley

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a month ago

As seemed fitting, the 2026 edition of the infamous Grouse Club returned to the holy trinity of founding fathers. Lord Bruce was determined for @thefatbadger_w10 to be the venue and was not slightly deterred by the fact they are not actually open for Thursday lunch. With some gentle persuasion they kindly opened the doors, designed a glorious menu and invited a whole host of industry glitterati to share the room with us three greedy oiks.

The mainstay of the wines were proffered, as ever, by the elder statesman of the group, themed as “wines with no label”. An anonymous magnum of Lafite had found the bin before my arrival along with a bottle of Gruaud Larose ‘49 that was DOA. Continuing the theme, my Rauzan Segla ‘90 had been bottled with a fresh lick of TCA. Thankfully Neal’s Marc Colin Cailleret ‘22 was more than a step in the right direction. It would be wholly dismissive to suggest that the legendary Pichon Lalande ‘82 simply continued that direction. It was sensational, of course, but it was to be outclassed by the pair that followed.

Cheval Blanc ‘64 is a wine I have always loved. A triumphant vintage on the right bank, and absolutely delivered as such. 1950 is a vintage that is rarely seen but produced a handful of foursquare, muscular legends. When the blank bottle was uncorked to reveal Cheval Blanc from this remarkable harvest, the excitement was palpable. A Goliath of a wine that will easily see out its letter from the King in 2050. An unbelievable treat to drink something so rare in A1 nick.

The food was stunning. As you might expect from @fedbygeorge and the reputation that goes with this now iconic dining room.

This most exclusive of London dining clubs, approaching its ten year anniversary next year, is always one of the finest lunches of the year, and Grouse Club 2026 was no exception.

@andrewbbruce @nealmartin123 taken in The Fat Badger by @garethbirchley

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a month ago

There was a time that a “iconic gastronomic double” meant lunch to dinner to sunrise… sadly, those days are long gone… for now!!

Instead we ventured out at 9am to start the legendary River Cafe x River Cafe double header. I can’t think of a finer way to progress Anglo-Italian relations than embarking on this hedonistic pilgrimage with the lads in tow. It was not the Boy Wonder’s first trip to the OG but wonderful to introduce him to three PERFECT plates of pasta that make you realise its world EVERY PENNY.

The wines were perfect and the bubble was just as good. Learning to know exactly when a lemon is about to be launched across the table is a skill I am still learning.

Thank you @charlespullan for fitting us in and a team who seemingly have infinite patience.

@alice_inwineland @drstephanieooi @dr_akash_mhc @river.cafefulham @therivercafelondon by @garethbirchley

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2 months ago

I explained to the Boy Wonder, ahead of our lads lunch, that there was a place that serves sticks AND sushi.

I’ll be honest… after all that teriyaki/sake (him/me) we might be on a come down for a while…

@sticksnsushi.uk taken in London, United Kingdom by @garethbirchley

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2 months ago

There are days in your life you’d happily forget. When one off-the-cuff comment stops you in your tracks. News that you can never unhear and will be part of you forever.

I first met Matthew Jukes over twenty years ago. He lived in my home town of Sandwich and we had conversed several times while I was at University. Over the years we became friends, and I was never anything less than delighted to see him. A few short weeks ago at the Hurlingham we met by chance and chatted about when and where we had first met, in my formative student days at Great Western Wine.

I could tell you about how influential his opinions on Australian wine were, or how he was second to none at hosting dinners alongside the greatest winemakers in the world… but other people will do that. Instead I’ll tell you about how I had dinner with him, when I was about 24, the night before a road trip to France and he couldn’t believe I was going all that way in a Polo, so offered to lend me his car for a fortnight… or when he found out Alice was pregnant and sent 84 cans of his nonalcoholic cordialities to the house. He was a man of immense kindness and generosity.

I adored you my friend. In a world of “fence sitters” you were a man of immense substance. We always seemed to share similar opinions and time spent with you and Amelia was simply wonderful. A glass of Rosemount Roxburgh Chardonnay 2007 in the late afternoon sun. In your honour. Rest well… we’ll look after your team like they were our own x

@matthewjukes by @garethbirchley

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2 months ago

I’ve struggled with inspiration to cook lately. Like I’d lost my mojo. Similarly carrots seemed to give up the ghost in the ground. I’m not a gardener so I’ll never know why, nor am I particularly bothered… because today they were perfect and we’re both back in the game. The carrots, the inspiration to cook and how it all fell on the plate, was perfect.

The salt beef, the glazed carrots, the lentils, the Dijon and of course the Joguet. It felt Fergus, but also Fallow. Panzers meets Partridges. A touch of the Loire with the richness of the Languedoc. It felt like proper eating. Sophisticated but primitive. Perfection that deserved a place on the grid to remind me how good Al fresco eating like this can be… by @garethbirchley

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2 months ago

You’ll never find me at the office on Friday… but when @theliamcol asks to meet at two hours notice, I know better than to take that at face value.

Thank you @restaurantgordonramsay and the big man for a life changing bottle of Giacosa by @garethbirchley

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3 months ago

A lunch celebrating old friends…

Over the last twenty years @davidliverpool77 and @garyfoulkeschef have fed and watered us in a few different guises, and this week @cornusrestaurant turns two. Even when Gazza is taking full use of his 53 weeks a year holiday the food is still off the charts.

So lunch with another old friend we see far too infrequently and a few suitable bottles to boot. What a way to christen the new Ed Burns (Henriot) terrace. Thank you @jamesmanson76 by @garethbirchley

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3 months ago