Farm To Fork Dining In Kent, Sussex & London
With the plentiful supply of locally grown and farmed produce in our corner of the county it should be no surprise that our restaurants are not only seeking to use these ingredients in their menus but even grow their own.
Images Field Photo by Red Zeppelin on Unsplash, Chef Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash
This not only helps to promote a green climate but to support local producers too. Here are 10 great restaurants making farm to fork a key ethos in their businesses.
The Ferry House, Isle of Sheppey, Kent
At The Ferry House they believe that local is best, saying “you don’t get much more local than your own back garden”. And as such their menus feature produce from their large Kitchen Garden which was established in 2013 with an acre of beds, polytunnel, greenhouse and ‘secret orchard’. They source beef from their family farm in Eastchurch and game bird meat from their family shoot on the Harty Estate – plus all their eggs are certified free-range. They even have spirits distilled from their own grains – when harvested they are taken to Chatham's Copper Rivet Distillery to be turned into award-winning gins, vodka and whisky. Anything The Ferry House cannot grow, farm or forage they handpick from what they believe are Kent’s best local producers. The kitchen garden ensures the chefs have fresh, delicious and seasonal produce all year round. The House Ferry Inn says: “Low food miles, anti food waste and sourcing as much produce as possible locally all play part in our mission towards green dining.”
• Visit theferryhouse.co.uk
The Shed, Notting Hill, London
Bringing a taste of Sussex to the capital, The Shed is the flagship of the 'Local & Wild' group created by the Gladwin Brothers, including Chef Patron Oliver, Restauranteur Richard, and Gregory, a West Sussex-based farmer. It offers a farm to fork menu championing hyper-seasonal produce using “wild, foraged, and locally grown ingredients, including sustainable livestock from the Gladwin farm in West Sussex”. And when it comes to trying a tipple, they also have award-winning wines from their vineyard, Nutbourne. So sit back, relax in the shabby-chic interior and try their tasting menu which takes guests “through six courses that are a journey through the English countryside and coast”.
• Visit theshed-restaurant.com
The Wild Mushroom, Westfield, Sussex
The Wild Mushroom in Westfield is one of a trio of eateries by Webbe’s Restaurants in Sussex, with sister venues of Webbe’s Rock-a-nore in Hastings and Webbe’s at the Fish Café in Rye. The philosophy behind their food is SUSSEX BY THE SEASON® and The Wild Mushroom was established in 1998 having been inspired by chef owner Paul Webbe & Rebecca Webbe’s love of foraging. They then went on to open the further two sites as well as a cookery school (leading wild food hunts, cookery demonstrations and hands-on days) as a continuation of their “passion for the wonderful, wild and natural ingredients on our doorstep in Rye Bay & Westfield areas and Hastings Old Town with it's outstanding sustainable eco-friendly fishing”. Their Rye cafe champions the renowned scallops and fish at the Rye Bay Scallop Festival and Webbe’s Rock-a-nore supports the Hastings fishing community at the Stade.
• Visit webbesrestaurants.co.uk
Frasers of Egerton, near Ashford, Kent
With a sustainable ethos at the fore, Frasers of Egerton is a 300-acre award-winning eco-estate in Ashford harnessing 55% renewable energy. Ingredients are foraged and grown in their kitchen and cutting gardens minimising the food miles, or sourced with short supply chains as they carefully select local artisan producers and suppliers, supporting the local economy. This results in a seasonal menu which is offered on a pre-order basis minimising waste as the kitchen does not need to be stocked full of items ‘just in case’. You can dine in their restaurant located in a traditional oak framed barn enjoying panoramic views of the countryside, and also have the chance to dine on the terrace in the summer, where you can enjoy tasting and feasting menus, brunch and afternoon tea which “bring a taste of Kent to the table”.
• Visit frasersegerton.co.uk
Farmer, Butcher, Chef, Goodwood, Sussex
Farmer, Butcher, Chef is Goodwood’s flagship restaurant located just yards from Home Farm. It is the final stage in a unique process dedicated not only to showcasing their meat in terms of flavour, quality and provenance, but also to achieving the very best yield from their livestock. Goodwood has been farmed by the family for over three hundred years and is one of the only self-sustaining organic farms in Europe. These organic principles enable their farmer to produce the best-tasting beef, pork and lamb, all of which are reared right there. The restaurant and bar exudes warmth and character, from the beautiful furnishings to the extensive collection of Goodwood memorabilia and curios from over 300 years of farming on the estate.
• Visit goodwood.com/visit-eat-stay/farmer-butcher-chef
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The Small Holding, Kilndown, Kent
This restaurant and farm located in Kilndown was opened by brothers Will and Matt Devlin in 2018 with a key focus on sustainability and “celebrates the best ingredients available in our region, delivering a unique connection between land and our table”. Here you can enjoy an ever-changing set menu with hyper-seasonal ingredients provided by the farm team, as growing and foraging is at the heart of what they do. They also make their own bread, butter, ferments and preserves. When it comes to their drinks, they partner with small vineyards and also highlight some of the best beer our county has to offer. Plus during the harvest months they create their own soft drinks.
• Visit smallholdingrestaurant.com
The Duke of Cambridge, Islington, London
The Duke of Cambridge – Britain’s first organic pub, which has been certified by the Soil Association since 1998 – is a pub and restaurant located in Islington. They source their ingredients from local organic farmers and growers, offering the freshest seasonal products. They say: “Having a positive impact on our community and the environment has been at the core of our business from the very beginning”. They have a 3* accreditation from the Sustainable Restaurant Association – the highest you can get. Part of The Culpeper Family Hospitality Group, they have four pubs and restaurants across East and North London
• Visit dukeorganic.co.uk
Restaurant Interlude, Horsham, Sussex
Restaurant Interlude, located at historic Leonardslee Lake & Gardens, is the first restaurant in West Sussex to be awarded at Michelin Green Star, recognising its outstanding sustainable practices and ethically-sourced seasonal cuisine. Enjoy a unique dining experience at the hands of Executive Chef Jean Delport and his team who offer guests a multi-course menu that changes with the seasons. A contemporary restaurant located in Horsham, Restaurant Interlude won its first Michelin Star in 2019 and has been awarded three AA rosettes since 2020. Chef Jean Delport and his team are committed to providing each and every guest with a place to interact with nature and eat from the land in an unexpected food journey, where ingredients are foraged directly from the 240-acre Grade I listed Leonardslee Lakes Gardens or ethically sourced from Sussex’s finest local producers.
• Visit restaurant-interlude.co.uk
The Courtyard Bar & Restaurant, Deal, Kent
With field to fork in the shortest amount of time as their motto, The Courtyard Bar & Restaurant in Deal offers the chance to dine under the stars in the centre of their 90-seater restaurant, or simply relax in the lounge. Aiming to use ingredients sourced from across Kent in all of their dishes, you can head there for breakfast, brunch, lunch or enjoy their a la carte menu. Their chefs “use locally grown fruit and vegetables from the Garden of England. Fresh meat from Kent butchers, fresh fish and seafood from the English Channel, cheeses from Canterbury, soft drinks, beers, wines and spirits made from across Kent”. Suppliers include Cheesemakers of Canterbury, Chapel Down Gin, Chapmans Fishmongers, Marshfield Ice Cream, O’Brien Butchers, Page & Sons and The White Mill Farm Shop.
• Visit thecourtyarddeal.co.uk
The George Restaurant & Bar, Molash, Kent
This family-run former coaching inn situated on the North Downs in Molash prides itself on its award-winning food which uses fantastic local produce. They use locally-sourced products to create their food which is made on the premises and suppliers include meat from Shottenden Lamb, fish from Folkestone Trawlers and fresh fruit and vegetables from Foodari (Fresher by Miles) in Molash. With products supplied daily, their menu changes daily too reflecting the freshness and limited quantity of the produce. They offer wines from Chapel Down and Chartham vineyards and a local gin produced just 25 miles away in Marden, amongst others and are a member of Produced In Kent.
• Visit thegeorgemolash.co.uk
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