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Thanks to Chef Adam Rawson, named the Youth Chef of the Year for 2015, the pub, The Newman Arms, will serve pop up dinners and beverages called Txotx, this Saturday, and on February 27. The menu, according to Adam, will be written in Basque, to surprise diners.  And more surprises; in March Rawson will bring Txuletak, the mythic steak from the well-known restaurant in Tolosa, Casa Julian, to OneSixty.  

London, England.  Basque food is without a doubt enjoying success in London, and at this stage of life, has discovered a delicacy that the Basques have enjoyed for some time: the Txuleta! (Steak). Chef Adam Rawson, is one of the youngest distinguished chefs in the city, having recently left the ovens of Pachamama Peruvian Restaurant to travel to the Basque Country to delve into Basque cooking.

Now back in London, Rawson has prepared a series of pop up events where he will introduce Basque cooking to the city.  “I discovered Basque cooking through several chef friends, but above all because i love the quality of the product and the Basque cultural ethics of Basque gastronomy.  A few ago I spent ten days in the Basque Country and this inspired me to hold these events in London….and, with a little luck, to begin a series of events dedicated to the cities and countries of Europe, and maybe the world,” Rawson told EuskalKultura.com.

Txotx at an English pub

The first of these events will take place this Saturday at the Newman Arms Pub in Fitzrovia, where Rawson will serve some pop up meals and dinners under the name of Txotx, word that we suppose is indecipherable for the Londoners.  Even more indecipherable will be the menu that Rawson has already published, but that is in Basque!

“I thought it would be nice to present the menu in Basque, because the diners won’t understand it and it will be like a meal for the blind.  In addition, I like how Basque is spelled, tttxxxtx…So I asked a friend of mine to translate it,” Adam said.  (The menu is available here]

Txuleta, the latest fashion      

The menu is based on Basque products, some, like Idiazabal cheese, were brought back by Rawson himself.  There will also be txakolina, sagardoa and of course, the star of the dinner will be the steak that is becoming fashionable in London it seems.

“I am a friend of the owners of the Donostia and Lurra restaurants and they are helping be get the necessary products.  They are two great restaurants!” he says.  “Right now there is a great tendency with Basque and Galician steaks, and I think that Basque food, without a doubt will go far in London.”

The Txotx dinner will take place again on Saturday the 27th and there are still some tickets available for purchase here).

Casa Julian in London

The next event where Rawson wants to continue introducing Basque food in London is a special dinner inspired by the menu at the well-known restaurant in Tolosa called Casa Julián, one of the mecas for Txuletak, Basque steaks. It will take place at the OneSixty, on the last two weekends in March. 

Follow Chef Adam Rawson on Twitter: @adamrawson89.