Honouring Tradition and Taste
Every year, August 12th marks a revered date in the British culinary and sporting calendar, the Glorious Twelfth. This historic day signals the start of the red grouse shooting season, a tradition steeped in rural heritage and seasonal rhythm. For London’s discerning diners, it’s also an eagerly anticipated moment when restaurants bring fresh, wild game to the table, spotlighting British terroir at its finest. Among these establishments, The Jugged Hare in Barbican stands out, not only for its celebration of the season but for its unwavering commitment to nose-to-tail cooking under the visionary guidance of Head Chef Raf Liuth.
The Jugged Hare: A British Culinary Institution Rooted in Heritage
Nestled in the heart of London’s Barbican, The Jugged Hare is renowned for its quintessentially British menu, where every ingredient is respected and nothing goes to waste. The restaurant embodies a philosophy of seasonality and provenance, drawing deeply from traditional British cuisine while embracing contemporary culinary techniques. Here, whole animals are butchered and every part finds its purpose, reflecting a dedication to sustainability and zero waste rarely seen in the capital.
Chef Raf Liuth: The Scientist-Turned-Chef Driving Innovation
Leading the kitchen is Raf Liuth, a chef whose journey from rural Brazil to London’s top kitchens brings a unique fusion of science, sustainability and craftsmanship. Raised in a household where everything was made from scratch and nothing was wasted, Raf’s early life instilled a profound respect for natural ingredients and a zero-waste mindset. His background in chemistry and nutrition informs his methodical approach to cooking, where creativity meets discipline.
Since joining The Jugged Hare in 2019, Raf has transformed the kitchen with his nose-to-tail ethos. Under his leadership, the entire brigade rotates through all sections of the kitchen, mastering the art of whole-animal butchery, aging, and preserving. To Raf, using less glamorous parts like offal or overlooked cuts isn’t a trend—it’s common sense, a way to honour the animal and the environment.
The Glorious Twelfth: Tradition Meets Culinary Excellence
Historically, the grouse shot at dawn on August 12th would be swiftly transported to London, arriving in time to feature on the menus of elite restaurants the very same day.
This year, however, nature has had the final say. A summer of extreme heat has left grouse populations unsettled, with many birds reluctant to fly, making them exceptionally difficult to source. While this presents challenges for game-led restaurants, it also highlights the importance of chefs and kitchens willing to adapt, innovate, and celebrate the abundance of other seasonal British game.
At The Jugged Hare, this adaptability is second nature.
Our Nose-to-Tail Feast
For this year’s Glorious Twelfth, we experienced a sharing “feast style” menu that encapsulates its commitment to British game and whole-animal cooking. The star, of course, is the restaurant’s namesake jugged hare, a dish steeped in history and slow-cooked with depth, richness, and reverence for the animal.
But the menu doesn’t stop there. It begins with bold and elegant starters such as venison tartare, black pudding croquettes, a house-made charcuterie board, and delicately smoked trout. Each dish reflects Raf Liuth’s ethos of respecting the full breadth of the animal and making creative use of every cut. Our highlight: A stunning meaty Scotch egg. Possibly the finest Scotch egg in all of London.
For mains, alongside the jugged hare, we also had muntjac sausage, a nod to the UK’s wild deer population, and a decadent lobster and prawn pie that demonstrates the kitchen’s flair for balancing game with the riches of the sea. Alongside the food, we enjoyed a bespoke whisky cocktail not dissimilar to a Manhattan and some fine wines.
While the absence of grouse this year is felt across the industry, The Jugged Hare’s menu stands as proof that game season is about more than one bird. It’s a celebration of the full tapestry of British wild food, reimagined through nose-to-tail cooking and a dedication to provenance.
Beyond the Plate: Foraging, Fermentation, and Community
Raf’s passion extends beyond the kitchen walls. His interest in foraging and fermentation reflects a holistic culinary philosophy that honours the environment and the community that sustains it. At The Jugged Hare, this manifests in hand-crafted preserves, house-made charcuterie, and inventive uses for by-products that might otherwise be discarded, such as apple skins turned into vinegar or blood orange peels transformed into seasonal liqueurs.
This commitment not only elevates the dining experience but also sets a benchmark for sustainable fine dining in London.
A Modern Celebration of British Game
With Raf Liuth at the helm, the restaurant continues to champion nose-to-tail cooking, honouring every ingredient with care, creativity and respect.
As this year’s grouse season falters under the weight of summer heat, The Jugged Hare shows that true culinary excellence lies not in what is missing, but in what is possible: a feast that is deeply seasonal, unmistakably British, and entirely unforgettable.
To discover more, visit The Jugged Hare
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All imagery courtesy of The Jugged Hare.