Camera Laura Edwards
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
RUNNING A RESTAURANT WHILST
I’M WALKING THROUGH THE WALLED GARDEN WITHIN THE GROUNDS OF HAMPTON MANOR WITH GRACE & SAVOUR’S EXECUTIVE CHEF, DAVID TAYLOR. SOMETHING HE SAYS STOPS ME IN MY TRACKS ….
Did I know that most fresh fruit and vegetables have declined so much in nutrients, that we would need to eat eight oranges today to get the same nutritional value of one orange in the 1950s?
Statistics like these are what inspire Taylor’s ethos at Grace & Savour, the recent recipient of a Michelin star and ranked 75th in the National Restaurant Awards, the restaurant is based at Hampton Manor, a 24-bedroom country estate designed for food lovers with two restaurants (Grace & Savour, and Smoke), a bakery, cookery school and a walled kitchen garden.
Taylor’s passion for making an impact is tangible; he has an unstinting belief that the key to unlocking flavour is a commitment to soil health, bio-diversity, ethics and sustainability. A glance at his CV indicates this level of determination isn’t new to this relatively young chef.
At just thirteen and a visitor at The Good Food Show, David’s sister encouraged him to approach Brian Turner and ask for some tips on how to get into the industry. “He gave me his business card and said, ‘give me a call and you can do a day with us’. I doubt he expected I would call so regularly and religiously! I don’t know if he thought I was a supplier, which is why he always picked up the phone, but he was really patient, and he’s really kind.”