mindful cooking.

Seasonal and local have long been buzzwords on menus, with chefs indicating quality through provenance. Recently though, the distance between kitchen and farm has been closing. Emily Gussin talks to the chefs getting their hands dirty

At Crocadon, cavolo nero (opposite)

Achef’s Cox took on a 120-acre organic farm in 2017 and, before opening the restaurant, spent five years developing a vegetable market garden and managing rare breed sheep on the pasture. Farming gave him a new level of control. “I was owning that process. My intention was to delve into it as deeply as possible to find the best possible ways to do things when it comes to soil health and the flavour of the produce.”

It’s a sentiment shared by Jan Ostle of the husband-and-wife team behind Wilsons in Bristol, which has a two-acre market garden to serve its bistro and bakery. “Chefs are always looking for a higher level of control and involvement in the journey of produce to their plates. It’s the epitome of cooking great food to be involved with it from seed to plate.”

FRESH AS A DAISY

With ingredients harvested on their own land, chefs can offer a new level of quality and freshness. “If you pick something just before service, it tastes better than if it’s been in the fridge for a week. And if you’re looking after the soil and putting a lot of effort into plant health, you know they’re going to taste even better,” says Cox.