Belly London at Compton Arms, Islington

Reece Moore at Belly London, Compton Arms, Islington

Belly London
Chef Reece Moore
Compton Arms, Islington, London

Reservations via Resy
Instagram @belly.london

Belly London is the concept of Reece Moore, the new kitchen in residence at the Compton Arms, Islington, after the hugely successful Four Legs residency ended.

Originally from Australia, Reece has cooked for over 12 years in restaurants around the world, drawing influence from each, including Dabbous, Bao London and stages at The Square with Phil Howard, Portland and Core by Clare Smyth. He was sous chef at Michelin-starred Texture under Andrew Wandless and Icelandic chef Agnar Sverrisson, where he worked with Raymond Blanc, as part of a collaboration. Reece also draws influence from the classic cooking styles of Marco Pierre White, Michel Roux and Japanese sushi master, Jiro Ono.

Passionate about highlighting simple flavours and working with seasonal produce, Reece’s ethos is to cook with purpose and simplicity; his philosophy is to let the ingredients speak for themselves. The Belly London menu has modern global influences from Italy to Thailand offering small and sharing plates using predominantly local, seasonal British produce, dayboat fish and native rare-breed meat. Favourite suppliers include Henderson Seafood, Swaledale Butchers and Shrub Provisions in Sussex. The daily-changing menu might include Grilled Harissa Octopus or Feta with Honey and Sesame; Thai-inspired dishes such as Crispy Beef, Puntarelle and Thai chilli dressing or Langoustine Larb, Mint, Red Onion and Rice Powder; and Italian-style plates like Risotto Milanese with Courgette or Fazzoletti with Lamb Ragu. There are also a few classic British pub classics such as Caesar Salad and Cheeseburger.

The Compton Arms, on a pretty back street of Islington, is famously known as one of former patron George Orwell’s three Canonbury pubs, chosen as inspiration for his perfect watering hole essay, The Moon Under Water. Now a freehouse, the pub has simple, Victorian-style wooden tables in the bar and dining room and a sunny courtyard garden. At the bar try the Compton’s house lager, or dip into the list of biodynamic wines and cocktails, including three different negronis.

Sample menu

Bread and Butter   4
Fried Potatoes, Aioli   4.5
Hummus, Baba Ganoush, Tzatziki, Sourdough   9
Asparagus, Egg, Lemon   12
Feta, Honey, Sesame Seeds   10
Caesar Salad   11
Cheeseburger   10
Mackerel Crudo, Blood Orange, Onion   13
Crispy Beef Salad, Punterelle   13
Whiting on Toast, Peas   10
Fazzoletti, Lamb Ragu, Parmigiana   15
Sea Bass, Courgette, Vinaigrette   19
Saffron Risotto, Langoustine   19
Bavette, Peppercorn Sauce, Dill Pickle   18

600g T-Bone Steak, New Potatoes   45
Tiramisu   7

Design Restaurant by Social Pantry opens in Chelsea Harbour, London

House cured salmon pastrami, toasted rye and smoked creme fraiche (credit Milly Fletcher)

Design Restaurant by Social Pantry to open in March at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour

Design Restaurant by Social Pantry, an exciting new partnership with Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, is opening in March 2022 and will launch to coincide with London Design Week 2022, 14 -18 March.

Design Restaurant by Social Pantry will be located in the Design Avenue, a stunning architectural space at the heart of the world’s premier design destination. Flooded with natural light, it will be open throughout the day, from Monday to Friday, 8.30am - 5pm. Social Pantry will also take over the running of the existing Dome Café.

The relaxed and stylish restaurant will bring something new to the renowned interior design hub. An all-day dining menu offers everything from a healthy breakfast to informal lunches - all brought to the table by the friendly team. Everything will be prepared on site with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients and frequently changing menus.

Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour is the first port of call for professional designers, architects and design enthusiasts. The Design Restaurant by Social Pantry is just steps away from 120 international showrooms, making it the perfect place for destination dining during a day of sourcing. Whether a first-time or seasoned visitor, you can make time to catch up with friends, colleagues and clients in the convivial space or pull up a stool at the bar.

Passionate about the future of food and the farmers who feed us, founder and CEO Alex Head is mindful that Social Pantry makes a meaningful impact through food and the new menu at the Design Restaurant reflects this. Fresh and simple with British and Mediterranean influences, it celebrates seasonal organic vegetables and fruits, a minimal use of red meat and a focus on conscious consumption. Social Pantry works closely with a small and carefully considered group of famers, suppliers, and producers, who mirror its values and ethos towards sustainable farming, eating and zero waste. The menus will follow the seasons closely, welcoming forced rhubarb and wild garlic in March, followed by British asparagus in April before the peas, broad beans, and early salads in Spring.

Sample highlights from the launch menu include Social Pantry granola, The Estate Dairy organic yogurt and compote; Turkish eggs and Lincolnshire poacher for breakfast. For lunch, choose from starters such as torched mackerel Caesar, with strozzapreti, artichoke pesto, pea and broad bean to follow. For pudding, there is forced rhubarb and hibiscus custard tart and Neal’s Yard cheese British plate with zero waste chutney.

A great deal of time is spent at Social Pantry committing to circular economies, zero waste initiatives and menus are designed with this in mind, incorporating nose to tail and root to flower dishes.

The wine list has been thoughtfully curated by Liberty Wines who share Social Pantry’s focus to help curb the effects of climate change, protect our vineyards and ensure the sustainability of the global wine industry. They recently became the only ‘carbon neutral plus’ UK wine supplier – offsetting more emissions than the business generates to achieve a positive environmental impact.

Supporting and championing several charitable causes, Social Pantry works closely with initiatives that connect with their values and only work with producers who follow good practice through farming, fishing, rearing, handling and producing. Collaborators include Natoora, Shrub Provisions, The Estate Dairy, Pump Street Chocolate and Toast Beer.

Alex Head, Founder and CEO of Social Pantry comments, “I’m very excited about the partnership between Social Pantry and Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour. We share many of the same values for craftsmanship and striving for excellence and we hope Design Restaurant by Social Pantry will be a destination dining experience for those wanting brilliant food and drink in the prestigious and globally recognised design centre.”

Claire German, CEO of Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour says, “we’re thrilled to be working with such a dynamic company as Social Pantry whose boundless enthusiasm, commitment to sustainability and passion for provenance is key to their core values. The permanent restaurant marks the next step in the Design Centre’s expansion, offering more reasons for visitors to spend time here. As beautiful as the designs within the showrooms, every aspect has been conceived to create the ultimate environment. The Design Restaurant by Social Pantry will be an essential ingredient of the experience, gathering people together around good food.”

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For more information about Design Restaurant by Social Pantry, interview opportunities with Alex Head or images, please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk | 07730 039361

Notes to Editors

Address: Design Avenue, Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, Lots Road, London SW10 0XE

Website: Design Restaurant by Social Pantry at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour (dcch.co.uk)

Social: @social_pantry #bysocialpantry

About Social Pantry

Founded by Alex Head in 2011, Social Pantry is London’s go-to caterer for seasonal, creative and delicious food, delivering events with a social conscience, at some of London’s most prestigious venues, including Battersea Arts Centre, Central St Martins, The Serpentine and Woolwich Works. Since 2013 Social Pantry has also launched restaurant and café locations across London, beginning with Social Pantry Café on Lavender Hill in Battersea and Crane’s Kitchen, a contemporary Café Restaurant in Peckham attached to the South London Gallery, and now the launch of Design Restaurant by Social Pantry at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour.

Founder Alex works closely with charities and enterprises that connect with the values of Social Pantry. Since 2015, Alex has been an ambassador for Key4Life, a young ex-offender’s charity who help rehabilitate ex-offenders and break the cycle of re-offending. Social Pantry offers personal mentoring, hospitality training and job opportunities to ex-offenders assisting with their rehabilitation and helping to equip them with new skills. Ten per cent of Social Pantry’s current workforce is made up of former offenders. Social Pantry also work with Bad Boys bakery, a social enterprise inside HM Prison Brixton, and Redemption Roasters, a coffee-roasters, based inside prisons, to supply goods across their locations.

@social_pantry | www.socialpantry.co.uk

About Alex Head- Founder & CEO of Social Pantry

Alex Head is the founder and CEO of Social Pantry. Social Pantry makes a meaningful impact through food and Alex works closely with charities and enterprises that naturally connect with the values of the company; offering mentoring, hospitality training and employment opportunities to young ex-offenders, assisting with their rehabilitation and equipping them with the skills they need to succeed; Alex is a proud to be the leader in ex-offender employment within the hospitality industry. Social Pantry is opening a training kitchen & café inside HMP Feltham in April 2022.

@alexhead_sp | www.alexhead.co.uk

Sustainability

Social Pantry is on a mission to become the first zero-waste caterer and in 2021 recruited Nash Gierak to the team as Sustainability Consultant. Nash’s role is to review all parts of Social Pantry, from zero waste menus to sourcing in the supply chain, to becoming single use plastic free.

Social conscience

Social Pantry is committed to creating fair opportunities for people who are skilled and able to work. During a time in which the hospitality industry is struggling for staff, it makes sense to reduce the unnecessary exclusion of capable candidates. Removing barriers to employment can bring diverse talent and essential skills into the UK workforce.

In 2021 Social Pantry was recognised as an accredited Ban the Box employer, which means the tick box that asks about criminal convictions has been removed from job application forms.

Social Pantry was one of the first 15 companies awarded the Key4 Life YOUNITED kitemark flag, for businesses which hire ex-offenders. Key4Life is a crime prevention charity which encourages companies to employ ex-offenders and give them another chance.

The Small Holding and The Curlew reopening on 19 May

The Small Holding, Kilndown, Kent

The Small Holding and The Curlew are opening on 19 May

After a year in lockdown, reservations are open for tables at chef-owner Will Devlin’s restaurants, The Small Holding in Kent and The Curlew, East Sussex.

www.thesmallholding.restaurant | www.thecurlew.restaurant

The Small Holding was awarded a Green Michelin Star in January, while The Curlew will reopen after first launching in February 2020 and being in lockdown, just three weeks later. The Curlew will offer small and sharing plates such as a whole rib of beef from Paley Farm, pork and kimchi dumplings or Tenterden new potatoes with Hinxden Dairy crème fraiche and caviar.

The menu at The Small Holding has evolved and Will has used the time during lockdown to refine the dining experience. The new menu is defined by hyper-seasonal and sustainable ingredients with a focus on the farm’s own produce, but undefined by the number of courses or choice. There will be no formal menu at The Small Holding. Instead, guests will be offered a multi-taste dining experience featuring the best ingredients on that day from the farm and local suppliers. Vegetables and fruits from the farm, harvested within hours of guests arriving, foraged ingredients, homemade charcuterie and zero waste animal cookery from the farm’s own livestock is the main focus.

The new style menu starts with home-made kombucha or broth and breads and fresh butter, made on site with the rich yellow cream from a local herd of Guernsey and Holstein Friesian cows. The menu falls into themes such as ‘The Farm’ with raw peas, elderflower and radishes; ‘The Glut’ with Kohlrabi, green apple and yarrow; ‘Preserves’ of fermented roots and smoked bacon broth; ‘Cured’ with homemade fennel salami and sourdough; ‘Fish’ with oyster, chive and pickle; crab, chamomile and fennel; lobster and tomato and ‘Sweet’ with gooseberry, honey and cream; carrot, cream cheese and hogweed; strawberry, meadowsweet and basil.

The restaurant is open Wednesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner costing £75 per head and for Sunday lunch. A drinks flight including juices, shrubs, wines, beers and kombucha will also be available.

Will Devlin says, “Lockdown gave me the opportunity to focus on our purpose and to remember what The Small Holding is about, which is the deep connection between the farm and kitchen and a sense of place. We nearly lost it all and we need to remember what we’re fighting for. Lockdown has been a massive opportunity to realise that.”

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www.thesmallholding.restaurant
@the_small_holding_

Ranters Lane | Kilndown | Kent | TN17 2SG

About The Small Holding

Will Devlin, 32, is the chef owner of The Small Holding, a kitchen and farm on a country lane in the village of Kilndown on the Kent and East Sussex borders. The 26-cover restaurant was voted the best restaurant in Kent at the Taste of Kent Awards and is set in one acre of land, permitting a unique connection between farm and table. Growing, foraging and cooking the best ingredients is at the core of The Small Holding, with daily changing menus, using home-reared and home-grown ingredients from the farm, which is less than 10ft from the kitchen.

Will’s second site, The Curlew, a former 17th century coaching inn in Bodiam, East Sussex opened in February 2020 and is 8 miles from The Small Holding. www.thecurlew.restaurant

For more information, images, interview with Will Devlin or to visit The Small Holding or The Curlew, please contact Hannah Blake hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk | 07730 039361

Praise for The Small Holding
A group of folk growing amazing things, then pulling them out of the ground, sometimes knobbly and lumpy, then cooking and serving them. It’s perfectly imperfect and I wouldn’t change a thing.” Grace Dent, The Guardian

“The menu reads like a list of all that is good in a British Larder. Self-sufficiency, careful sourcing, purity of intent and an absolute focus on flavour. It’s easy to fall in love with The Small Holding for the warmth of the staff, its good intent and deft execution.” Tony Turnbull, The Times

“Striding confidently into its second year, Will Devlin’s restaurant shows no sign of slowing down, ‘a truly sensational experience’ is one fan’s heartfelt comment. The level of ingenuity generated by a kitchen on turbo drive, fuelled by its own small holding, hen coop and piggery is prodigious.” Will Devlin was named ‘Chef to Watch’ in The Good Food Guide 2020.

Praise for The Curlew

“I must tell you about The Curlew, a restaurant by Will and Matt Devlin, the same brothers who opened The Small Holding in Cranbrook on the Kent-Sussex border last summer… They deserve a bit of smoke blown up their trouser legs for everything they and their excellent staff have achieved in the past 12 months, too. It’s not easy to do clever, complex, locally sourced dining in rural places without coming across as overly earnest and saintly, offering the locals lovely things without a jot of pretension. Almost as lovely as this job gets” Grace Dent, The Guardian

Kid goat offal added to the Cabrito Goat Meat webshop

Cabrito kid heart goulash

Kid goat offal added to the Cabrito Goat Meat webshop

www.cabrito.co.uk/shop

New products, including kid heart and kid liver have been added to cabrito.co.uk, the consumer retail arm of Cabrito Goat Meat. Both cuts are a delicacy and prized by those who love offal. It’s lean, nutritious and simple to cook.

Selling offal via online delivery can be complicated but James Whetlor, ex-chef and founder of Cabrito has reacted to consumer demand for the product.

Since pivoting from restaurant sales and wholesale during lockdown, Cabrito has seen consumer online sales through the website increase by 530%, year on year (Jan ’21). To reflect the increasing demand and appetite from consumers, Cabrito sells kid and ex-dairy nanny goat meat including leg, shoulder, chops, racks, neck, diced and mince plus burgers and sausages. Goat meat is becoming more mainstream as chefs and food writers including Thomasina Miers, Gizzi Erskine and Zoe Adjonyoh cook with it.

James Whetlor comments, “We’ve been asked many times to sell what St John restaurant calls ‘the slippery bits’ for a long time. Offal is very sensitive so it’s taken a while to work through the logistics and treat it right, but I finally feel we can do it justice and have been delighted by the customer demand and response. Carcass balance and using every part of the animal is really important to us, so being able to sell the offal is another way Cabrito is committed to nose to tail and zero waste.”

Cabrito Kid liver is £5 per 600g

Kid liver is delicious served pink after being seared quickly in a hot pan. Try seasoning with cumin and chilli and serving with chopped salad, seasoned yoghurt sauce and lemon wedges, to squeeze over.

Cabrito Kid heart is £4 per 300g (2 pack)

Kid heart needs a little trimming, before slowly braising with onions, sweet paprika, passata and sour cream for a Hungarian style goulash and served with wide ribbon pasta, boiled potatoes or rice.

Cabrito kid offal can be bought online at www.cabrito.co.uk/shop

About Cabrito

Cabrito’s one sentence mission statement is to put all billy goats born into the dairy industry into the meat industry.

Devon based James Whetlor used to be a chef having worked in London for ten years and at River Cottage and knew he could do something about the plight of the male billy goats, who are historically euthanized at birth in the dairy industry. Calling on his 10 years of chef experience and contacts in London, James began working with goat dairies to supply restaurants.

James is International Director of Goatober working with partners in America, Europe and Australia and is consultant for the European ‘Food Heroes’ project, which aims to end food waste in farming across the EU.

James’ first book GOAT: Cooking and Eating (Quadrille Books) has been widely acclaimed as genre-defining and won a James Beard Foundation Award for best single subject book. His second book, Cooking on the Big Green Egg is publishing on 15 April, 2021 (Quadrille Books).

Instagram @cabritogoatmeat

Green Michelin Star for Will Devlin at The Small Holding

Will Devlin at The Small Holdinh

The Small Holding, Kent has been awarded a Michelin Green Star in the Michelin Guide 2021.

The new star was given to chef Will Devlin via a digital awards ceremony on Monday 25 January, presented by Kent based TV presenter Davina McCall.

This is the first year Michelin has awarded its green star for sustainable gastronomy to 23 restaurants in the Great Britain and Ireland guide 2021, after debuting in the French 2020 guide.

The award recognises restaurants with a focus on environmental practices and is only awarded to those which hold a Plate, Bib or Star distinction. Many, like Will Devlin at The Small Holding work directly with growers, farmers and fishermen, forage in hedgerows and woodlands and grow their vegetables and rear animals. Other recipients of this year’s Green Star include Black Swan, York; Coombeshead Farm, Launceston; L’Enclume, Cumbria; Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham and Silo, London.

Will Devlin, chef owner of The Small Holding, commented, “What an incredible feeling! This Green Star encompasses everything about The Small Holding and our drive for sustainability. This award is for everyone on the team, in the kitchen, on the floor and on the farm who all work so hard and really deserve this, I’m so proud.”

Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin guides commented, ‘These restaurants are not only an inspiration for the industry but also for all the readers and users of the Michelin Guide.”

www.thesmallholding.restaurant
@the_small_holding_

Ranters Lane | Kilndown | Kent | TN17 2SG

About The Small Holding

Will Devlin, 32, is the chef owner of The Small Holding, a kitchen and farm on a country lane in the village of Kilndown on the Kent and East Sussex borders. The 26-cover restaurant was voted the best restaurant in Kent at the Taste of Kent Awards and is set in one acre of land, permitting a unique connection between farm and table. Growing, foraging and cooking the best ingredients is at the core of The Small Holding, with daily changing menus, using home-reared and home-grown ingredients from the farm, which is less than 10ft from the kitchen.

Will’s second site, The Curlew, a former 17th century coaching inn in Bodiam, East Sussex opened in February 2020 and is 8 miles from The Small Holding. www.thecurlew.restaurant

For more information, images, interview or to visit The Small Holding, please contact Hannah Blake hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk | 07730 039361

Praise for The Small Holding
A group of folk growing amazing things, then pulling them out of the ground, sometimes knobbly and lumpy, then cooking and serving them. It’s perfectly imperfect and I wouldn’t change a thing.” Grace Dent, The Guardian

“The menu reads like a list of all that is good in a British Larder. Self-sufficiency, careful sourcing, purity of intent and an absolute focus on flavour. It’s easy to fall in love with The Small Holding for the warmth of the staff, its good intent and deft execution.” Tony Turnbull, The Times

“Striding confidently into its second year, Will Devlin’s restaurant shows no sign of slowing down, ‘a truly sensational experience’ is one fan’s heartfelt comment. The level of ingenuity generated by a kitchen on turbo drive, fuelled by its own small holding, hen coop and piggery is prodigious.” Will Devlin was named ‘Chef to Watch’ in The Good Food Guide 2020

February at The Small Holding

Rhubarb sour at The Small Holding (Food Story Media)

Rhubarb, snowdrops and storms

Seedlings, snowdrops and buds are emerging at The Small Holding. Springs feels around the corner, despite Storm Ciara howling through the farm at the weekend pulling down one of the poly tunnels and destroying many of early strawberry plants inside.

February is the ‘hungry gap’ as the cold store produce stocks run low, the game season is over and while we wait for the first Spring greens to appear. It’s a difficult month waiting for the sunshine while dodging the wind the rain; it seems only the Berkshire pigs are having fun in the mud. While it’s cold outside though, the kitchen is a hot bed of activity, making use of the previous summer and autumn gluts with the team constantly inventing and experimenting with an almost empty natural larder.

Named ‘Chef to Watch’ in the Good Food Guide 2020, Will Devlin says, “This is a tough time of year in the kitchen but growing and preserving what we can throughout the year keeps us concentrated on the natural cycle of the land and helps us to create full flavoured and imaginative dishes.”

The February Full Acre sample menu is £60 per head with an optional four or six glass wine flight for £40/60. The Half Acre menu is £30 per person.

February’s Full Acre menu
Fennel, pumpkin, sage
Camembert, seaweed, truffle
Crab, apple, pork
Pigeon, prawn, mooli
Beef, mushroom, potato
Gurnard, leaves, lard
Lamb, carrot, leek
Quince, vodka, meadowsweet
Rhubarb, ginger, egg

About The Small Holding

Will Devlin, 31, is the chef owner of The Small Holding, a kitchen and farm on a country lane in the village of Kilndown on the Kent and East Sussex borders. The 26-cover restaurant was voted the best restaurant in Kent at the Taste of Kent Awards and is set in one acre of land, permitting a unique connection between farm and table. Growing, foraging and cooking the best ingredients is at the core of The Small Holding, with daily changing menus, using home-reared and home-grown ingredients from the farm, which is less than 10ft from the kitchen.

Will’s second site, The Curlew, a former 17th century coaching inn in Bodiam, East Sussex will open on 19 February. www.thecurlew.restaurant.

For more information, images, interview or to visit The Small Holding, please contact Hannah Blake hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk | 07730 039361

Praise for The Small Holding

A group of folk growing amazing things, then pulling them out of the ground, sometimes knobbly and lumpy, then cooking and serving them. It’s perfectly imperfect and I wouldn’t change a thing.” Grace Dent, The Guardian

“The menu reads like a list of all that is good in a British Larder. Self-sufficiency, careful sourcing, purity of intent and an absolute focus on flavour. It’s easy to fall in love with The Small Holding for the warmth of the staff, its good intent and deft execution.” Tony Turnbull, The Times

“Striding confidently into its second year, Will Devlin’s restaurant shows no sign of slowing down, ‘a truly sensational experience’ is one fan’s heartfelt comment. The level of ingenuity generated by a kitchen on turbo drive, fueled by its own small holding, hen coop and piggery is prodigious.” Will Devlin was named ‘Chef to Watch’ in The Good Food Guide 2020

The Curlew launches in East Sussex from the team behind The Small Holding

Sharing and small plates at The Curlew (Food Story Media)

The Curlew, opening on 19 February

www.thecurlew.restaurant

The Curlew, a new restaurant by chef owner Will Devlin, will launch on 19 February. Housed in a former coaching inn, the 46-cover restaurant is in the heart of rural East Sussex. Named by The Good Food Guide 2020 as ‘Chef to Watch’, this is Will’s second restaurant, alongside The Small Holding.

Inspired by The Curlew’s countryside location, while only 10 miles to the South Coast, the menu offers simple and seasonal small and sharing plates from land and sea. Ingredients are sourced hyper-locally from the best producers and fishermen, or are grown or foraged at The Small Holding, just 8 miles away.

Set in picture-postcard Sussex countryside, The Curlew is a Grade II listed former coaching inn with white clapboard façade and views across the fields. The menu will change every few weeks as ingredients and produce from the farm and suppliers, become available. Everything is made in house and the team butcher, bake, pickle, preserve and cure on site.

The kitchen is headed up by chef Will Devlin who will be onsite for the first 6 months. He will split his time between The Curlew and The Small Holding, which opened in April 2018, and where Head chef Harry Fields is in place. Dishes at The Curlew include salt baked carrots with dill seed mayonnaise; cured trout and kimchi; home-made fennel seed salami and chorizo from our Berkshire pigs at The Small Holding; whole brined and smoked roast chicken; whole roast turbot with sea purslane butter and roast rib of Sussex beef.

The drinks menu reflects the rich history of Sussex with beers from local breweries using heritage hops and water filtered through the South Downs and English wines from some of the country’s leading wineries which are on The Curlew’s doorstep.

“This is an exciting time to be relaunching The Curlew. It’s had a great history before us, and we plan to grow and build on its reputation as one of the best restaurants in the South East.” Will Devlin

For more information, press reviews and images please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room PR on hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk or 07730 039361

Address
The Curlew
Junction Road
Bodiam
East Sussex
TN32 5UY
www.thecurlew.restaurant

Enquiries: info@thecurlew.restaurant

Opening times
Wednesday to Saturday: 12-2.30pm (Lunch) and 6-9.30pm (Dinner)
Sunday: 12-3pm
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays

Farm & Forage at The Small Holding

Will Devlin at The Small Holding, Kent

Farm and Forage at The Small Holding, Kilndown, Kent
Spring-Summer dates 2020

Go foraging this year with Will Devlin, chef owner of The Small Holding. Starting in May, when everything is green and fresh, guests will discover the rich bounty of nature’s wild larder. From dandelions and wild garlic in Spring to elderflower and wild strawberries in early Summer through to damsons, sloe berries, chanterelles and cobnuts in Autumn, the countryside is full of edible delights; you just need to know when and where to look.

The Small Holding ‘Farm and Forage’ days start at the restaurant at 9.30am with coffee and warm, homemade pastries before pulling on wellies and heading through the gate into the farm. After feeding the pigs and chickens, guests will walk amongst the poly tunnels and raised beds learning about the 200 varieties of fruit and vegetables being grown on site. Then guests will venture down the lane with Will to the woods and fields to go foraging and learn about what’s in season and what is best to eat. By May, Spring will be in full throttle and fully green and guests can expect to find carpets of wild garlic, wild fennel, wood sorrel, yarrow, nettles, sweet cicely, dandelion, chickweed, garlic mustard and maybe even morel mushrooms if they’re lucky.

Returning to The Small Holding, guests will be greeted with a glass of awarding-winning Squerryes’ English sparkling wine before being seated for either a Full or Half Acre tasting menu. Sample dishes might include Asparagus, Lovage and Mustard; Hogget, Fennel and Chilli; Lettuce, Mushroom and Dill; Strawberry, Basil and Elderflower.

The Farm and Forage days are available on the third Wednesday of the month between May and September and is priced at £145 for Farm and Forage and a 5 course Half Acre menu or £195 for Farm and Forage and a 10 course Full Acre menu. Both experiences include a welcome glass of Squerryes’ Vintage Brut, a local and award-winning English sparkling wine.

Bookings can be made direct via www.thesmallholding.restaurant or by calling the restaurant on 01892 890 105.

May Farm, a beautifully appointed self-catered three-bedroom barn, catered and run by The Small Holding and only a short walk from the restaurant, is also available to book alongside Farm and Forage days.

Farm and Forage 2020 dates: 20 May | 17 June | 22 July | 19 August | 16 September

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Notes to editors

The Small Holding is a kitchen and farm on a country lane in the pretty village of Kilndown on the Kent and East Sussex borders.

The 26-cover restaurant has been named as the best restaurant in Kent at the Taste of Kent Awards and is set in one acre of land, permitting a unique connection between farm and table. Growing, foraging and cooking the best ingredients is at the core of The Small Holding, with daily changing menus, using home-reared and home-grown ingredients from the farm, which is less than 10ft from the kitchen. Rare breed Berkshire pigs, chickens and ducks roam the farm while The Small Holding’s own bees pollinate and feast on the wildflower beds.

May Farm at The Small Holding
Guests travelling to eat at The Small Holding are now be able to stay at May Farm, a rural country retreat run and catered for by restaurant team. In the heart of the High Weald of Kent and only a short walk or drive from The Small Holding, May Farm is in the blissful solitude of 40 acres of farm and woodland.  Once an ancient farm building, May Farm has been converted into a homely and well-designed space sleeping up to six guests. Dogs and muddy boots are welcome too. Combining country comforts with contemporary flair, May Farm retains the charm of the original threshing barn with wooden timbers and exposed brick walls.

“The menu reads like a list of all that is good in a British larder. Self-sufficiency, careful sourcing, purity of intent and an absolute focus on flavour. It’s easy to fall in love with The Small Holding for the warmth of the staff, its good intent and deft execution.” Tony Turnbull, The Times Magazine

“A group of folk growing things, then pulling them out of the ground, sometimes knobbly and lumpy, then cooking and serving them. It’s perfectly imperfect and I wouldn’t change a thing.” Grace Dent, The Guardian

For images, more information or for press review stays please contact Hannah Blake at The Dining Room PR on 07730 039361 or hannah@thediningroompr.co.uk

The Small Holding
Ranters Lane | Kilndown | Kent, TN17 2SG
www.thesmallholding.restaurant
bookings@thesmallholding.restaurant

Telephone: 01892 890105
Instagram: @the_small_holding_

Open Hours

Wednesday to Friday 12pm-2pm; 6pm-11pm
Saturday 12pm-11pm
Food served 12-2pm; 6-9.30pm
Sunday 12-4pm
Food served 12-2pm