Interview with George Dean, General Manager of the Barley Mow, Duke Street
The Mayfair Foodie interview with George Dean, General Manager of the Barley Mow in Duke Street
Hi George
Many thanks for meeting with me today, I’m really looking forward to hearing all about you & the
Barley Mow.
Can you give my readers some background on how you started in the industry & how you
find yourself running the recently refurbished Barley Mow?
I first started many years ago when I was washing pots in a pub in Mobberley at the age of 15
This is where I started working for Tim and Mary who own Cheshire cat. 2 years after
being moved from washing pots to runner to waiter, bartender then trainee manager we went
onto win Pub of the Year in the Uk. They really taught me the true values of hospitality. Since
then I fell in love with London and worked with and for some amazing hospitality legends.
Highlights include Sally Abe where we opened the Blue Boar pub and won best pub in
London, Working with Tobias Kidman at Caravan and Russell Norman back in the early days
of Polpo.
During lockdown I also started up my own company delivering beer around
London called Pub to You door. Basically I’ve just always loved hospo.
You have been open just 6 months including the busy Christmas period, how has it gone so
far?
Christmas was a huge success for us. We really were a new, young, excited and fun team. I
think the team work we all put in made the festive period such a success. The partiers are still
going! January was very strong and even as I write this now we have a full dinning room and
bar. It’s a great time!
Location wise you are sandwiched between Oxford street & Grosvenor square, the pub is in
prime location, can you give a little bit of history of the building that the new Barley Mow
occupies?
The pub has always been a ‘’true boozer’’ and we really try and keep to this quality. The
main difference is the toilets upstairs we’ve turned into a peaceful, but busy, beautiful pub
restaurant. The Pub has always been a landmark of Mayfair and we never wanted to take
away from this.
Walking through the door of the pub you enter a traditional pub (beautifully restored)with a
relaxed buzzy vibe, climb the stairs to the dining room the focus changes to food which
serves British classics, a totally different vibe to downstairs, is that a fair description & is that
how you would describe both areas?
Yes very true! Our aim is for people to feel comfortable wether they’re here for a special
occasion, to see friends, or just to have a pint and a scotch egg! Our product is at the highest
end with a food and drinks list we’re very proud off. We want to show off the best of produce
from our food to our cocktails. Our aim is to create the most comfortable but perfect Dinning
and drinking experience. With a superb vibe. We ask ourselves daily What does good look
like. And that’s our aim.
For those new to the Barley Mow how would you describe the restaurant menu?
Our Head Chef Chris Fordham-Smith has put a menu together of British classics done to the
highest of quality married with a few French twists. Our Cavery is our most popular dish
flying out midweek with people loving the Roast Sirloin or Leg of Lamb. We are also known
for our roasts which I personally feel are best in the area! Downstairs bar snacks to nibble
with your pints are our best sellers.
Finally, over to you, why should our readers head to the Barley Mow & what’s in store for
any visitors to the Barley Mow in 2023?
2023 is an exciting year for us we have a lot of events including St Patrick’s day where we will be
throwing a big party with Guinness and specials and lots of Oysters. We’re also having some great
Easter specials on over the easter weekend. We have live music every Wednesday evening 7-9pm
and also run daily specials in our upstairs restaurant. A lot to enjoy and worth signing up to our
Cubitt newsletter.
Thanks, George, we look forward to visiting the Barley Mow again soon
Barley Mow, 82 Duke Street, Mayfair, W1K 6JG
Finally, if you would like to hear more from George, where he reveals his cocktail, click here, I’m not giving anything away but they actually have a barrel of it on the bar at the Barley Mow, hopefully not just for George!!!
