“The best steak in the world”: The Spanish Butcher celebrates the rise of blockbuster beef Galician Blond

Rusk & Rusk, the independent Scottish restaurant group behind the award-winning dining concept, The Spanish Butcher, will this week mark its first successful year in Edinburgh…with a celebration of Galician Blond; the aged beef taking the world by storm.

Famed for its distinctive Galicia meets Brooklyn proposition, The Spanish Butcher arrived on to the capital’s dining scene one year ago, building on the success of The Spanish Butcher in Glasgow city centre.

As one of the first in the UK to recognise the remarkable depth of flavour of Galician beef, The Spanish Butcher has been at the forefront of the Galician beef renaissaince along with a select few restaurateurs: Nemanja Borjanović (Ibai, Lurra and Donostia), Tomos Parry (Brat and Mountain), and Charlie Carroll (The Devonshire in Soho) being the most notable.

Now with a formidable reputatation among chefs, specialist butchers, food writers and celebrities galore, Galician Blond is hailing as the best tasting steak in the world. So what is under-pining its seismic popularity? Old beef – old in terms of the age of cow, not the length of time of ageing – is a major factor in delivering the amazing flavour of Galician.

The breed matures slowly on lush pastures, over a far longer period of time (around 18 years) than is traditional, having lived a full life while laying down intramuscular fat (marbling) slowly. This slow maturing is not only sustainable and ethical, it produces the Galician’s intense flavour. The fat developed is unctuous and golden yellow, denoting the length of time spent out on pasture eating natural sources of food – grasses, haylage and home-made silage. With no time constraints to rush the process, the Galician opens up the choice of deliciously different flavour profiles.

Augmenting its rise in popularity is the news that Borjanović has recently succeeded in breeding two Galician Blond calves at his British farm. This is the first significant new breed to be born on British soil since Wagyu, 15 years ago, and is testament to the taste of this remarkable beef.

Delivering a big hit of indulgence on the plate, with unmistakable fire-licked flavours of the Spanish region, the Rubia Gallega breed of cattle (known simply as Galician Blond) is native to the green pastures of Galicia in north-western Spain and takes a starring role on The Spanish Butcher menu. Complementing this are vibrant Spanish and Mediterranean-inspired flavours, married with the very best homegrown produce from Scotland’s larder - a reflection of Rusk & Rusk’s commitment to outstanding quality, provenance, and sustainability.

The first anniversary of The Spanish Butcher in Edinburgh is the latest chapter for James and Louise Rusk, who have redefined the steak house concept in Scotland over the last fifteen years. The group’s origins began with The Butchershop Bar & Grill at Kelvingrove which launched in 2010. The Spanish Butcher arrived in 2016 with an emphasis on Galician beef, specifically Galician Blond. The ambition is to expand to “the great cities of the UK” with Manchester in the frame for a new opening should a suitable space become available. Will Ferrell, Toby Maguire, Eddy Izzard, Chris Pine, Gerard Butler, Sam Heughan and Paolo Nutini are among celebrity diners who have visited The Spanish Butcher.

James and Louise Rusk, said “What an incredible year since The Spanish Butcher arrived in Edinburgh. We could not be happier with the response and are delighted to have welcomed so many customers, existing and new.

“The flavours we showcase across The Spanish Butcher menu is extraordinary, with the Galician beef of course taking an unapologetic starring role. We are proud to have been one of the first in the UK to recognise its remarkable depth of flavour, and its stratospheric rise in popularity internationally is no surprise. To taste Galician Blond is to believe!

“Restaurants, for us, are about evoking emotion and creating memories. People expect really great food as well as a relaxed, atmospheric space, and we are delighted to know so many people feel this is what we deliver at The Spanish Butcher. We look forward to welcoming our patrons soon, and encourage everyone to try a big hit of Blond indulgence on their plate.”