It is always good to catch up with friends from the racing world away from the noise and pressure of the paddock. This time, we were joined in Marlow by FIM World Superbike Champion Sylvain Guintoli and his wife Caroline for an afternoon at The Butcher’s Tap & Grill.
Sylvain and Caroline came down to try the Uggly&Co guest burger, catch up with the team and talk about the incredible response to the Sylvain Guintoli x Diamond Charity Cap.
After working closely together on such a meaningful project, it was brilliant to sit down, enjoy some proper food and spend time together in a more relaxed setting.
The Uggly&Co Guest Burger
The Butcher’s Tap & Grill is based in Marlow, just like Uggly&Co, so the guest burger collaboration felt like a natural fit from the start.
The Uggly&Co guest burger features two beef patties, BBQ braised beef, cheese, slaw, mustard mayonnaise and pickles. It is big, full of flavour and exactly the kind of burger you would expect from a collaboration between Uggly&Co and The Butcher’s Tap.
Sylvain and Caroline came down to give it a try, and it was great to see them enjoying the burger while catching up with everyone involved.
Race weekends are usually hectic. Riders are moving between sessions, team meetings, interviews and sponsor commitments, so there is rarely much time to properly sit down and talk. Meeting in Marlow gave us the opportunity to slow things down and enjoy the afternoon without watching the clock.
It was a simple visit, good food, good company and plenty of conversation about racing, family and everything that has happened since the charity cap was released.
Catching Up After the Charity Cap Project
The visit came after the launch of the Sylvain Guintoli x Diamond Charity Cap, 100% Donation, a project that means a huge amount to Sylvain, Caroline and everyone at Uggly&Co.
The cap was created in memory of Sylvain and Caroline’s son, Luca. Its blue butterfly detail holds a deeply personal meaning for the Guintoli family, giving the design a purpose that goes far beyond a normal motorsport collaboration.
Every penny raised through the cap is being donated to Sylvain and Caroline’s chosen charity, supporting children in hospital and the families who remain beside them. Uggly&Co is donating the full £30 value of every cap, including the costs involved in producing it.
The response from the racing community has been incredible. The original release sold out faster than expected, showing just how strongly people connected with the story, the cause and the family behind it.
Being able to catch up with Sylvain and Caroline after the launch gave us the chance to reflect on that support and talk about what the project has achieved.
More Than a Product Collaboration
Some collaborations begin with an idea for a product. This one began with a story and a shared desire to create something meaningful.
From the start, it was important that Sylvain and Caroline were involved in shaping the cap. The butterfly could not simply be added as another graphic. It needed to be treated with the care and respect that its meaning deserved.
To tell the story properly, we also visited Stratford Butterfly Farm with Sylvain and Caroline. Surrounded by butterflies, we filmed interviews and content that allowed them to explain the importance of the symbol in their own words.
The finished cap combines the Uggly&Co Diamond design with a navy peak, breathable mesh back and the blue butterfly detail placed proudly on the front. It is designed to be worn every day, while carrying a message of remembrance, support and hope.
Sitting down together at The Butcher’s Tap felt like another part of that journey. It was not a formal launch or a busy content shoot. It was simply a chance to reconnect after creating something that brought so many people together.
Bringing Racing, Food and Marlow Together
Uggly&Co has always been closely connected to motorcycle racing, but the brand is also shaped by the people, businesses and community around us in Marlow.
The collaboration with The Butcher’s Tap brings those different worlds together. It takes the personality of Uggly&Co and combines it with a local pub known for proper food and a relaxed atmosphere.
That connection can also be seen in the Tom Kerridge’s The Butcher’s Tap x Diamond Trucker Cap. The design mixes the Uggly&Co Diamond identity with The Butcher’s Tap’s black and yellow branding, creating a cap inspired by British pub culture, heritage workwear and everyday style.
The Diamond Tee x Tom Kerridge’s The Butcher’s Tap T-Shirt continues the collaboration with a heavyweight white tee, featuring a custom steak character and vintage butcher shop styling.
Having Sylvain and Caroline visit added another layer to the story, bringing an international motorcycle racing champion to Marlow to experience a collaboration created right here in our hometown.
A Brilliant Afternoon in Marlow
A massive thank you goes to Sylvain and Caroline for joining us and taking the time to come down to The Butcher’s Tap.
It was brilliant to see them again, hear their thoughts on the guest burger and catch up after the charity cap project. More importantly, it gave us another chance to recognise the support people have shown for a release that carries such a powerful meaning.
You can support the cause by purchasing the Sylvain Guintoli x Diamond Charity Cap, with 100% of the £30 value donated to charity in Luca’s memory.
You can also explore the Uggly&Co guest burger menu or shop the latest Uggly&Co collaborations at ugglyandco.com.
Good food, good people and a cause that means far more than any product ever could.
