20/01/26
All things Straker's with Callum Mash | Inside Hospitality
Thomas Straker’s first restaurant sits at the heart of Notting Hill’s vibrant Golborne Road. A neighbourhood favourite, it serves Mediterranean-inspired dishes rooted in exceptional British produce.
Just around the corner from the Richard Brendon office, it’s a local spot for us — and a particularly special one as the setting for our Precision Wine Glass.
We sat down with Head of Wine, Callum Mash, to talk all things Straker’s — from curating the wine list to how Thomas sources produce sustainably, and the team’s favourite spots for a post-service drink.
Why the Precision Universal Glasses for Straker's tables?
For a small, cosy and intimate space like ours, having a truly universal glass is essential. Things can get a little riotous at times and glasses are constantly being moved around the table, so durability really matters.
The Precision Glass strikes that balance perfectly. Champagne is a particular favourite in this glass. It’s ideal for bubbles, allowing you to swirl the wine, which is especially important with richer or more mature styles. It opens the aromas beautifully, while remaining elegant, practical and robust enough for everyday service.
Discover the Precision Wine Glass, here.
What is your favourite food and wine pairing?
One of the great privileges of working at Straker’s is the closeness to the ingredients. Tom is deeply hands-on with his craft, and everything he shoots or hunts finds its way back to the restaurant. Right now, the kitchen is working with mallards, teals and a selection of beautiful game birds.
Alongside this, there’s a bottle on the list that feels particularly special. Mas de Daumas Gassac 1989, often described as the Grand Cru of the Languedoc. Cabernet Sauvignon sits at its core, supported by an extraordinary blend of around twenty other grape varieties sourced from across the world. The result is a wine that has aged with remarkable grace, offering savoury, complex aromatics that pair effortlessly with game birds.
How do you help you guests navigate the wine list and how do you approach decanting wine?
Our list sits at just over 350 references, which is a lot for a restaurant of our size. It spans around 12 pages, so it can feel quite daunting at first — but that’s where we come in. Our role is to guide guests through it and help them find the right wine for the moment.
We always start by understanding what’s being ordered. Some guests choose a variety of dishes and enjoy pairing wines with each plate, while others prefer to settle on a single bottle for the table. From there, we can steer them towards something that really works.
The list is full of wines off the beaten track — hidden gems that we love to encourage guests to explore. We’ll often suggest being a little adventurous, focusing on the characteristics they enjoy, then guiding them in that direction.
We’re also incredibly fortunate when it comes to older wines. Through long-standing relationships with private collectors and auction houses, we have access to bottles that aren’t often available to the on-trade. The range is broad, from wines dating back to 1966 through to the most recent vintages.
When it comes to decanting, we always involve the guest in the decision. That said, we often recommend decanting younger wines, which really benefit from aeration. The Jancis Robinson Collection decanters are beautifully designed they feel special, pour elegantly, and add something extra to the experience at the table.
Discover the Mature and Young Wine Decanter, here.
