The Beefy Boys Story By Charlotte Evans
The Beefy Boys Story
The genesis of The Beefy Boys is a fascinating story, one that started with 4 men BBQing on the weekends for friends like the burger wizards they are!
Each member of the team, before they were the badass team that they are today, worked full time and only cooked socially.
However, the more they cooked these delicious, filthy in a good way, burgers, they started to notice a small following and began working with the local community to launch small pop-ups around Herefordshire. A regular pop-up spot was the Left Bank Village, looking over the River Wye.
From the success of these pop-ups, the team decided to enter Grillstock in 2014 with no expectations, other than to have a good time with friends. Not only did they have a corker, but they won the title of ‘Best Burger’. On their return, they were shocked to see queues of around 700 people at their various Herefordshire pop-up locations. Unprepared for the fame that followed, the team had to expand their workforce to manage the orders coming in.
They have won many an award from major competitions but notably they came 2nd in The World Food Championships in Las Vegas where they competed against 50 of the best Burger Chefs across the world. And their competing days are far from over yet as they recently won the National Burger Awards 2023, with Anthony Murphy taking home the National Chef of the Year Award 2023! The Beefy Boys, alike their burgers, are sizzling hot!
So, with their ever-building success, they made the decision to purchase the building next to Costa in Hereford’s New Market and cement a permanent residence for The Beefy Boys. What a pivotal decision this was for the team, and it came up trumps, even though their journey was far from easy and anything but straightforward.
They spent time and money on the renovation of The Beefy Boys, to what it is today. Investors came in the form of family and friends that were completely sold on the concept and more than willing to support financially. The Beefy Boys got to work and put their mark on the property, paying back all investment within 6 months.
As soon as you step into The Beefy Boys, their fabulous branding by Russell Taysom is everywhere. Russell is an award-winning illustrator and comic artist based in Hereford, creating drawings inspired by punk rock, 90’s wrestling and everything cheap, plastic and disposable. His designs have been published by huge names such as Fluffer Records, Topman, Nickelodeon, and HnM to name a few.
Covid hit tourism hard, and some businesses were never lucky enough to recover. The Beefy Boys, with months ahead of them not being able to seat their hungry customers, brainstormed ideas on how to stay afloat. They decided to push their takeaway offering to the local community and launched a nationwide Beefy Boys DIY Box. The Beefy Boys DIY Boxes are filled with recipes and ingredients that create their award-winning burgers. They even provide a video so you can cook alongside the boys!
You can purchase your very own Beefy Boys Box for a special occasion like Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, or just a chilled summer BBQ kind of day. You’ll have everything you need to become a Beefy Boy yourself, so light up that grill and have at it.
With covid behind us and everyone able to eat out again, the team can host 220 seats with their expansion to Frankie’s and Bennie’s, which is located next door and sadly closed down.
The Menu
This is quite possibly the naughtiest but most dreamy menu you have come across. Incredible flavour pairings and you can choose your patty options being thick, smashed, Oklahoma, or animal. The meat, the cheeses, the sauces, and all the trimmings, make for some serious burgers.
The team also offer wings, loaded fries, salads, and veggie options. A significant menu for a significant filling.
New Digs
The Beefy Boys have expanded their territory to cover Cheltenham on Regent Street, where they opened with various soft launches up till the 24th of February with a jaw dropping 25% off, then opened to the public from the 25th!
The Cheltenham branch is The Beefy Boys 3rd restaurant opening and kitted out in a similar vibrant style to the Hereford and Shrewsbury restaurants. A bar and restaurant that fans will immediately become obsessed with.
The team are incredibly excited to serve the crowds that will excitedly emerge for the Cheltenham Races throughout the year!
The Murf
I had the pleasure of speaking with Anthony Murphy, AKA Murf, from The Beefy Boys team and he confidently confirmed that his favourite burger is the Oklahoma Animal style, which is 2 Oklahoma style onion smashed patties, double American cheese, with a mustard fried patty right there in the middle.
With all their combined creative genius, I had to ask what BBQ or grill station did Murf keep at home. He animatedly counted the BBQ’s off his fingers, amounting to 5 from the Kadai Bowl, to the Pro Q Cabinet Smoker, to a Green Egg. I don’t know why I was surprised; these guys are the masters and incredibly passionate about food.
The Team
From the 4 Beefy Boys that started this journey together, they have increased their workforce to over 150 employees, expected to grow to over 200 with the Cheltenham launch. They haven’t been operational for 10 years yet, and modestly boasting this exponential growth is incredible.
The Beefy Boys know how to party and reward their staff members by hosting events at The Shack and even exclusive festivals at Nozstock. They are a work hard, play hard team, everyone aligned on their mission.
The Partnership
The team are passionate about working with the local community where they can. They use Johnny Morris, Neill Powell, and Heggie’s for their meat, Peter Cooks Bread for their fluffy buns, Droitwich Salt and Tubby Toms for their salt and dirty sauces, Ludlow Gin and Wye Valley Brewery for their drinks, plus the Hop Pocket for anything else.
The Beefy Boys Truck
Their signature food truck can only be described as a beast, accommodating the teams hundreds of followers, serving up the best burgers around smaller local areas of the Midlands and Wales.
They also take their epic BBQ food to music and food festivals, spreading the love wherever they park up!
The Cocktails
The team’s favourite cocktail this month is the Espresso Martini.
The Beefy Boys have repurposed their original restaurant in Hereford New Market to moon light as a cosy cocktail bar. The bar and seating are lovingly wrapped with nostalgia, from the teams various trips, launches of each restaurant, and even photos of their intimate backyard BBQ’s. A significant amount of history can be seen on these walls, which the team only intend to add to.
The team make all the classics from Pina Coladas, Old Fashions, to a sexy margarita. They are seeing a rise in non-alcoholic orders and so have a great range of mocktails for you to enjoy. Plenty of wine, spirits, ciders, and beers are available also.
Dr Strange
Murf told me the story of when they met Dr Strange, AKA Sorcerer Supreme, AKA Benedict Cumberbatch, and I thought best to repeat it here. They were at Hay Festival and Dr Strange himself ordered a Dirty Boy and Millionaire fries. Whether he had a cape on, I cannot confirm, but for our sakes, let’s say that he absolutely did.
The Wedding
Hold on to your hats because did you know that you can book The Beefy Boys to cater your wedding?! Yes, the team expand their grilling expertise to cook a range of finger licking delicious BBQ food that will guarantee to leave your guests satisfied. Expect a lot of juicy tender meat, and plenty of sauce. Do not expect 3 course meal vibes. Expect dirty and delicious vibes.
The team recommend getting in contact at least 1 year before your big day, but more time the better! The team are available for tastings prior to the event.
The Shop
The Beefy Boys have a diverse range of shop items such as branded apparel, Hereford Monopoly Board, and various sauces and prints.
The Economy
The team now face new challenges, like the cost-of-living crisis, meaning that powering their 3 restaurants has become more costly than ever before.
The team keep their heads up though, with the news of continuous record days giving them hope that you bloody love their burgers and all that they do.
What's Next
The team have many plans but their focus for 2023 is to continue to make the best burgers across Herefordshire, Shropshire and now Gloucestershire. No compromise on taste and to always strive for consistency, never complacency.
The launch of their 3rd restaurant in Cheltenham will keep them busy for a while, making sure their standards and values are aligned across all 3 restaurants. But who knows, could there be more Beefy Boys restaurants for us to dream about?
The team are developing their own brand of naturally grown sauces currently and hoping to promote this year so keep your eyes peeled.
