Nestled in the leafy Surrey suburb of Esher – most famous for its racecourse and former musical residents (a Beatle and a Bee Gee, don'tcha know) – you'd expect to find a modern British pub like The Swan Inn. What's surprising is the authentic Spanish menu that it comes with (with Estrella Damm as the accompanying drink of choice). This culinary mastery is courtesy of chef José Pizarro, who took over the Edwardian building in 2021. His goal for the gastropub, as with his other four London restaurants, was to champion true, traditional tapas. That means locally sourced ingredients and as little wastage as possible.
Take the croquetas, for instance. These tasty little parcels are made with the leftovers from the night before (which could be anything from spinach or mushroom to jamón) so the flavours get refreshed daily – a concept he grew up with in the village of Talaván in a Spanish region that borders Portugal. 'Just like my mum used to do at home in her kitchen,' Pizarro explains in the video, below:
José Pizarro is a chef ambassador for Estrella Damm, the beer of Barcelona and another environmentally conscious Mediterranean brand. It’s not surprising why this award-winning premium pale lager selected Pizarro as its ambassador nearly a decade ago. For starters, it's been brewed following the original recipe from 1876, utilising only local ingredients sourced within 160km of the brewery, including pearl rice – a short, starchy variety typical in the Mediterranean – which characterises Estrella Damm’s flavour. Plus, in 2020 the brand stopped using ocean-destroying plastic in favour of 100 percent biodegradable cardboard rings to carry their cans and ensure that even these paper-based products come from sustainably managed forests. After all, 'being natural also means being responsible', as its tagline goes.
Want to taste the delicious combination of Estrella Damm and José Pizarro’s sustainable Spanish fare? Book a table at The Swan Inn! Alternatively, buy yourself Estrella Damm to sip at home and try out one of José Pizarro’s recipes at home.
