Galvin brothers join Glyndebourne for three-year restaurant partnership

RA Venues has appointed the Galvin brothers as executive chefs at the Middle & Over Wallop fine dining restaurant at Glyndebourne, the opera house in Sussex.

Chris and Jeff Galvin will hold tenancy at the restaurant until 2024 starting with the return of the Glyndebourne festival from 20 May.

Steve Groves, who was named overall executive chef at Glyndebourne last month, will continue to oversee all the food and beverage operations at the opera house, including the Galvin's offering in partnership with the brothers.

Chris and Jeff have designed three seasonally changing menus featuring some of the signature dishes form their Michelin-starred London restaurant Galvin La Chapelle, including the apple tarte tatin with crème normande.

For the new Glyndebourne season, which runs until 29 August, the Middle & Over Wallop restaurant will be decorated with props from past productions with chefs preparing dishes in a central display kitchen. Guests can also order a picnic and afternoon tea to be eaten in the opera house gardens.

Glyndebourne is limiting its audience size to 600 people, 50% below normal capacity, and entrance to the fine dining experiences will be staggered to ensure staff and guest safety.

Steve Chandler, managing director of RA Venues, said: “RA Venues is thrilled to strengthen its partnership with Glyndebourne by welcoming long-time consultants the Galvins to the venue. The estate grounds offer the perfect opportunity for us to partner with the Galvin brothers to create beautiful seasonal menus that build on the customer experience to ensure a truly memorable visit.”