Catch at the Old Fish Market, Weymouth
Catch is an authentic sea-to-plate restaurant in Weymouth, Dorset which opened in June 2021.
Set amidst the colour and energy of Weymouth’s working quayside, Catch at the Old Fish Market offers an authentic sea-to-plate dining experience serving fish and shellfish with unequivocal local provenance and landed just a few feet from the restaurant kitchen.
Catch opened in June 2021 with upcoming chef Mike Naidoo leading the kitchen. Mike was formerly with Jason Atherton at Pollen Street Social and has moved to Dorset to take on his first Head Chef role with his partner Tija Klincov, who is the restaurant’s pastry chef.
Mike’s elegant, ingredient-led dishes celebrate the freshest sustainable seafood. Menus change regularly to reflect what the boats have brought in, and you may find scallop ceviche; lobster thermidor croquettes; roast brill roast salsify and Exmoor caviar; skate wing; pork belly seaweed and sage; sea bass with fennel almonds and crab potatoes.
With strong ties to the fishing community, not only can the staff tell you when and where your fish was caught, but usually on which boat, and by whom. The waters of the Dorset coast are home to over 40 fish and shellfish species, from Portland crab and lobster to line-caught sea bass and supplied to the restaurant by Weymouth’s small, inshore fishing fleet which include two boats owned by the business.
You’ll also find local game dishes for example: venison, parsnip, girolles, red cabbage and blackberries. Other ingredients are sourced from local growers and producers including with a micro bakery based a road away from the restaurant and Craigs Farm, a free-range dairy which overlooks Weymouth Bay.
Catch is also about its setting. The landmark Grade II listed Old Fish Market was built in 1855 using local Portland stone. The building has been painstakingly restored by local craftspeople. The striking restaurant has been carved out on the first floor with views over the harbour and light that floods in through the windows of the clerestory roof.
The team have curated an engaging wine list containing exceptional local wines from the Dorset area including Langham Wine Estate, Furleigh Estate and Bride Valley Vineyard amongst others. The list not only includes gems from local producers but exciting wines from smaller European wineries. Many are available by the glass to encourage diners to experiment throughout their meal. The list will change and evolve throughout the year to keep it as fresh and seasonal as the menu.
Weyfish
Catch is part of a group of businesses which include Weyfish, Weymouth’s traditional harbourside fishmonger, also based in the historic Old Fish Market (in fact, diners pass through the fishmongers on their way to the tables).The majority of their fish is sourced hyper-locally and sustainably with the majority of the town’s fleet using lines, nets, and pots only – producing very little in the way of by-catch or discards. Weyfish went on to spawn an e-commerce platform for national home deliveries, and has its own fish van that sells fresh fish in Dorchester twice weekly. Hatch on the Harbour is located in a downstairs corner of the Fish Market and serves fresh seafood-on-the-go. Specialising in street food dishes whose changing menu can include fish tacos, crispy grilled squid and BBQ lobster which can all to be enjoyed on the quayside.
About Mike Naidoo
The kitchen team at Catch are led by Chef Mike Naidoo who has moved to Dorset to take up his first Head Chef role at the restaurant. Formerly at Jason Atherton’s Michelin starred Pollen Street Social and a number of years career across number of other well-known restaurants Purefoy Arms at Preston Candover and The Chesil Rectory in Winchester. Mike grew up just across the border in the New Forest and after studying physiotherapy he was lured into kitchens of local restaurants and decided to follow a career in hospitality.
He says of Catch: “Here, the supply chain is right on our doorstep: the Weymouth fleet; the most amazing growers and micro-producers. People who really care about quality. Our menu shifts and changes throughout the calendar – just as it should do.”
Vinada - low alcohol sparkling wine
VINADA non-alchoholic sparkling wine launched in the UK in November 2021.
VINADA is a range of three no/low alcohol sparkling wines which launched in the UK in November 2021. In the same month, they received accolades from the IWSC including a Gold Trophy and won the No/Low Category Award for their Crispy Chardonnay.
Founded in The Netherlands in 2018 by Jessica Van Spaendonk, who was fed up with other no/low alcohol wines and set out to create a quality wine with a superior taste and balanced flavour. VINADA wines are made using a dealcoholization process that retains most of the wine’s original aromas and taste.
The wine is now available in 29 countries but only just launched in the UK… currently available on Amazon and launching in a couple of other places imminently.
Crispy Chardonnay
IWSC Gold Trophy - 95 points
Sparkling wine made from a unique mixture of Chardonnay grapes from the French wine-growing region Languedoc. An impressive balanced flavour - crisp, fresh with nuances of fruit - an aroma of apple, melon and a bit of citrus on the palate. Dry and full of attitude.
Tinteling Tempranillo Rosé
IWSC 2021 Bronze
A fruity ruby pink dry sparkling wine made with a mixture of Tempranillo grapes from La Mancha in Spain. VINADA Rosé has a refreshing taste, aromas of red fruit (strawberry, redcurrant, raspberry). Harmonious acidity and subtle tannins.
VINADA Amazing Airén Gold
IWSC 2021 Bronze
A golden dry sparkling wine that is soft and gentle but with an abundance of taste. Subtle spicy / citrus aroma - white fruity sensations in both smell and taste followed by a soft, crisp mousse finishing. Dry aftertaste.
ABOUT VINADA
The brand aims to be fun, fearless and feminine. The name comes from the French for wine “vin” and “nada” Spanish for none - in this case no alcohol.
Jessica says: “Wine is a traditional industry and non-alcoholic wines used to be a taboo. I like to look at it like we are 3 years behind on the non-alcoholic beer segment. The consumer is changing, and the products are changing with the consumer. I think our job is to focus on quality and introduce people to good quality wines.”
“I searched a long time before I found the right grape to make VINADA. The sweeter grapes with the right acidity perform better after dealcoholizing. We found these grapes in the sunny South of France and Spain where we set up a joint venture with a company that was ready for a long ride. When we were searching for a partner, the most important thing is the quality of the final product. We invested a lot in tooling to improve the production process and we hope the customer will be happy with the end result.”
Brassica Restaurant & Mercantile, Dorset
Brassica Restaurant is not what you might expect from a country restaurant in the small Dorset town of Beaminster, not far from the Jurassic Coast. It’s a confluence of good food and good design led by culinary and design double act, Cass Titcombe, and his wife Louise Chidgey. The couple describes the restaurant as an extension of their own home, where you can enjoy Cass’s skilled cooking showcasing amazing local produce in an intimate setting with a convivial atmosphere effortlessly created by Louise’s use of colour, pattern and lighting.
“It is a simple, deft cooking, with attention to detail” Jay Rayner, The Observer 2015
Brassica presents the very best food, beautifully cooked, with pride but without pretension.
The menu evolves daily and features seasonal produce cooked simply, with a strong Mediterranean influence, and with a refined edge. The majority of the ingredients are produced within 15 miles and much of it is organic - you’ll find Devon Ruby Beef from Haye Farm; organic dairy from Dorset’s Liberty Dairy’ fish, seafood from Lyme Bay and vegetables grown a few miles down the road. Typical main courses may be: Organic Devon Ruby steak frîtes with black garlic; Spaghettini with crab, lobster, chilli and basil; Asparagus with Jersey Royals, parmesan & pickled wild garlic’ or Cod fillet with chickpeas, cavolo nero and aioli.
Brassica won The Good Food Guide Award for Best Local Restaurant South West in 2020.
“All the signs of a chef slipping out of the constraints of a formula and just cooking what he fancies, using fine local produce.” Tracey Macleod, The Independent 2015
Cass, who co-founded Canteen in London in 2005, published the Canteen cookbook in 2010 and Louise, previously a buyer at The Conran Shop and manager/design manager for Tom Conran Restaurants, upped sticks from a hectic London life in 2014 to open their own restaurant in this beautiful corner of Dorset. A long search for the right site, led them to Beaminster Square to a Grade II listed building, which featured in Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles. The building manages to be both light and airy in summer, and warm and cosy in winter.
Nextdoor, Louise has opened Brassica Mercantile, an understated food & homes shop in the with a carefully curated collection of homewares sourced from her favourite designers across the world - there are textiles, tableware, ceramics & glassware and books. You’ll also find food from local farms and producers and cheese, charcuterie and more from Italy and Spain. There are handmade meals prepared by Cass which change daily but may include aubergine melazana, fish pies and soups. If you can’t make it to Dorset, the beautiful collection is available from their online shop.
Brassica is a true family business, with Louise’s father, Graham Chidgey, who led wine merchants Laytons Fine Wines for nearly 30 years, curating the wine list of mainly Old World Wines.
Brassica Restaurant & Mercantile
4-5 The Square, Beaminster, Dorset DT8 3AS
https://brassicarestaurant.co.uk/
Cass Titcombe - Chef Director
Cass is best known a co-founder of micro London chain Canteen in 2005 and as author of Canteen: Great British Food (Ebury Press 2010). After leaving Canteen he consulted with some leading hospitality brands before upping sticks from London to Dorset in 2014 to start a new life and open his own restaurant Brassica in 2014.
Cass began his career in the 1980s at the renowned Hole In The Wall, Circus and Woods restaurants in Bath. In 1994 he moved to London to the celebrated Daphne’s in South Kensington and went on to found The Collection and Pasha for Mogens Tholstrup.
Louise Chidgey - Co-founder/Director
Louise co-founded Brassica with her partner Cass Titcombe in 2014 fleeing a hectic life in London juggling being a mother with a career in interiors and lifestyle with plenty of intonational travel. Louise has not only established the restaurant but launched homes & food shop and online store Brassica Mercantile combining her love of good design and good food.
Louise is one of the UK’s leading design and retail creatives, with expertise in home, interiors and lifestyle. She has extensive experience in the retail sector as well as the influential global trend forecasting business.
After working as a senior buyer for The Conran Shop she became manager/design manager for Tom Conran Restaurants, Marks & Spencer and Selfridges. From 2005-2014 she gained an international reputation as global trend forecasting at WGSN.com and in product design at agency Stylus.com.
Graham Chidgey - Wine Consultant
Louise’s father Graham, held a long a prestigious career in the wine trade 1953. In 1965 Graham took over a small London merchant, Laytons Fine Wines, which he ran successfully until its sale in 1997. He’s also worked with Laytons Fine Wines, André Simon and Malmaison Wine Club. Following the sale of Laytons, Graham moved to Tuscany where he extended the sales potential for Montalcino, Chianti Classico and Piedmont. He also move do to West Dorset in 2014 with his wife, the painter Angela Chidgey
The Horsehoes, Witney
A country pub, serving modern British pub food, part of a small group of independent pub restaurants.
The Horseshoes is a country pub, serving modern British pub food, set in the beautiful Oxfordshire market town of Witney. Part of the same independent group as The Hollybusy, The Horseshoes is a stylish contemporary pub serving an eclectic menu of pub classics using as much local produce as possible.
Owners, local lads, Luke Champion and Alex Vaughan aim to offer a proper pub atmosphere with warm hospitality, good beer, an interesting wine list.
The Hollybush, Witney
A modern dining pub set in the beautiful Oxfordshire market town of Witney.
The Hollybush is a modern dining pub in the Oxfordshire town of Witney on the edge of the Cotswolds. Part of a small group of independent pubs with includes The Horseshoes, the pub is owned and run by a young local team Luke Champion and Alex Vaughan who have cut their teeth in hospitality in London and come back to their home town.
Set in an 18th-century building with low ceilings and original beams; you'll get a good welcome, excellent local food and thoughtful wines and local ales. New head chef, Simon Bradley, has joined recently and creates inventive menus which are big on local seasonal produce. Bread and ice cream are all made at the pub. You’ll find reliable pub classics as well as more ambitious dishes.
The large outside space has plenty of tables as well as four luxurious dining houses for small groups - all fully heated and decorated with bespoke furniture and original art.
Jack & Beyond - cafe & cake shop, London
Creative online cake shop and cafe in Fulham
Jack & Beyond is a cake shop and café in Fulham, London which offers affordable bespoke and personalised cakes for delivery across London within 24 hours as well as nationwide delivery of gorgeous brownies and divine mince pies, macarons, cookies and more.
Jack &. Beyond launched in November 2019 not long before the coronavirus pandemic forced them to close their Fulham cafe and they drove them to develop a new online shop with products that could be delivered across the UK by courier. Through a successful PR campaign focussing on occasions such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day we have helped to build a successful online business with coverage in national newspapers and food & Lifestyle magazines. Back links to Jack & Beyond’s website from online coverage has been a huge bonus for SEO and helped improve their search rankings and driven traffic to the website. Fulop Gabor, founder of Jack & Beyond says:
“Polly is delivering exactly what we were looking for in terms of PR. We worked with two different PR agencies before we found Polly but neither hit the mark as Polly has.
She is always extremely responsive, understands the food & drink & hospitality businesses and has great contacts. Polly believes in our brand and potential as much as we do. Most importantly we couldn't have been happier with all the coverage with big newspapers such as The Telegraph, Daily Mail or Evening Standard. We are extremely happy with our partnership and couldn't be more excited about the future and our partnership with Polly.”
Celebration Cakes
Jack & Beyond launched in November 2019 with an online shop from which customers can fully personalise their cake for collection or London delivery. For customers looking for a totally bespoke cake, Jack & Beyond offer a personal consultation service to design something absolutely unique for your special occasion.
The talented team of bakers aim to bring creativity and playfulness to all the cakes which are less sweet than many others on the market and include classics like Coffee & Walnut and Lemon Cake to the more playful and unusual Chai Layer Cake or Vegan Coconut Chocolate Cake. Red Velvet Cake is the bestselling cake with its distinctive red hue, it’s irresistibly light in texture with a subtle chocolate flavour. There are also tarts and pies including Cheesecake Crumble topped with seasonal fruit; Mango & Passionfruit Tart; and Peanut & Chocolate Pie.
Jack & Beyond’s cakes are all made with top-quality ingredients including free-range eggs and British dairy and decorated with the freshest ingredients like creamy mascarpone or vanilla frosting and topped with appealing finishes like fresh raspberry jam or dairy-free ganache.
Brownies & Mince Pies for nationwide delivery
Gorgeous brownies made with Callebaut chocolate and finished with stunning cream cheese swirls can be delivered nationwide as can a range of seasonal mince pies made melt-in-the-mouth butter pastry and fragrant and fruity homemade vegetarian mincemeat.
Fulham Café and Cake Shop
All Jack & Beyond’s cakes are handmade in their kitchen on Fulham Road, SW6 just a few minutes walk from Parson’s Green station. The café is also open as a café seven days a week for breakfast, brunch and afternoon tea as well as cocktails and Prosecco until early evening at the weekend. Brunch dish such as Chorizo Beans, Pain Perdu or vegan Coconut Chia Pudding.
If you have a sweet tooth and in the mood to celebrate the Bottomless Cake & Fizz or Bottomless Brunch is your dream come true. Indulge in free-flowing bubbles, white wine or beer and as many slices of homemade cake and tart as you eat. So far the record is 8 slices of cake in one sitting!
Passionate Team
Jack & Beyond was founded by Fulop Gabor who was previously manager of Konditor in Borough Market and has worked in the bakery / café his whole career. He is joined by pastry chefs Corrine Jones (previously Pastry Chef at Le Pont de la Tour) and Sophia Zimmer (ex Konditor). Many of the recipes were developed by development chef Daniel Fletcher, who has worked in Michelin-star restaurant and for M&S.
The Cookaway
The Cookaway is an exciting new range of chef-led recipe boxes featuring authentic recipes from around the world to make cooking at home a real adventure.
The Cookaway is ideal for home-cooks who love to cook, discover and learn - a little different to other recipe boxes which are often focussed on time and convenience. Authenticity, flavour and quality of ingredients are at the heart of The Cookaway which features five chefs who each specialise in different regional recipes from Indian to Italian, Spanish to Japanese, with more cuisines to come. Menus are rooted in their heritage and come with authentic top-quality ingredients so that home cooks can discover unusual and adventurous dishes and learn new techniques.
With no subscription required you are free to order whatever you want, whenever you want, and to try the menus with no commitment giving customers greater flexibility and the option to send a box as a gift. Each box contains one menu rather than a series of individual meals all using healthy, top quality ingredients from trusted suppliers. The full range of menus is always available so you can return to your favourites again and again or try something new. Finally, each recipe is completely transparent with its ingredients meaning that cooks can recreate the recipes for yourself.
The Cookaway’s head nutritionist, May Simpkin, works with the chefs in the development of their recipe to ensure each menu includes plenty of fresh vegetables and a good balance of protein and slow release carbohydrates. She also has developed her own range of Healthy menus for The Cookaway.
The Cookaway launched in autumn 2019, and a new more user-friendly website launched recently alongside two new cuisines Japanese and Spanish. Founder Nidhi Verma says: “We were inspired to launch The Cookaway because we wanted to put the joy of cooking back into the recipe box experience. We’ve tried to evolve the traditional business model and to create a foodie adventure in a box which appeals to people who enjoy cooking and love to discover world cuisines and learn from chefs they can trust. Our customers love the excitement of taking a journey into different world cuisines, discovering unusual ingredients, and learning new skills guided by our specialist chefs, just as they would from reading a recipe book.”
Since the Covid-19 pandemic and lock-down in the UK, the business has seen a significant increase in sales as cooking and eating together has become a focus of people’s lives, as some people have more time to cook and are seeking something more exciting and fun than their usual repertoire of recipes.
Nidhi adds: “We launched The Cookaway last autumn to a great response from customers, but since lock-down began at the end of March we’ve seen a real spike in interest. Not only does The Cookaway offer all the convenience of a home-delivery and access to fresh, healthy and unusual ingredients without having to visit a supermarket, but our boxes bring families and friends together to enjoy the cooking process as much as eating the meal. We’ve even seen friends and family buying boxes for video cook-alongs and date nights.”
Small Giants - Insect-based snacks
Super sustainable, naturally nutritious savoury snack launch
If you like your snacks a little unusual, a lot sustainable and outrageously tasty, Small Giants Crackers are for you. These bite-sized savoury crackers are made with cricket flour - a super sustainable source of protein. The founders of the new brand-with-a-purpose say these revolutionary snacks are a great way to eat insects without the yuck-factor.
OUTRAGEOUSLY TASTY
Ideal for healthy snacking at any time of day, Small Giant Crackers are made with 15% cricket flour which brings an umami taste, a protein punch and a boost of Vitamin B12. Other ingredients are 100% natural - extra virgin olive oil and wheat flour give fibre, texture and the distinctive crunchiness. Oven-baked to perfection, they are available in three tasty flavours Tomato & Oregano, Turmeric & Smoked Paprika and Rosemary & Thyme. The 40g packs are perfect for snacking, dipping, and sharing.
MASSIVELY SUSTAINABLE
Crickets offer a viable sustainable source of protein as they require a fraction of the water, land, feed and energy required to produce the equivalent protein from other sources.
NATURALLY NUTRITIOUS
These are seriously healthy snacks to keep your body singing. With more than 20% protein content these crunchy snacks are a natural source of complete protein containing the whole spectrum of amino acids essential to human biology. The snacks contain twice as much protein as fat, are a source of fibre and high in vitamin B12 which is crucial for a healthy immune system and brain. They are dairy-free and with no added sugar.
Small Giants was founded by Edoardo Imparto and Francesco Majno who discovered their love of insects while travelling in Thailand. They want to open people’s eyes and mouths to the benefits of insect-based snacking showing people the many benefits eating insects bring to the planet and our health.
Francesco says: “Small Giant Crackers are the best way to try insects for the first time... and fall in love with them! While people are starting to understand the reasons to include edible insects in their diet, they may be put off by the yuck-factor, but once people try our revolutionary snacks they love the taste and the taboo is broken!” He continues: “As attitudes towards edible insects are changing, we want to bring excitement, innovation and new consumers to the savoury snacks market which has seen little change in recent years. We’ve created a planet-positive insect-enriched snack that tastes great and offers a genuine alternative to those wanting to cut their consumption of animal-based foods and find an alternative source of protein.”
Small Giants launches in October 2020 and initially be available online via www.smallgiants.com and on Amazon.
Fox & Hounds, Hunsdon
Independent gastro-pub and events venue, Hertfordshire
The Fox & Hounds, Hunsdon is a modern European restaurant and pub set in the Hertfordshire countryside. It is the only Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant in the county.
Head chef and owner, James Rix, serves imaginative food with rustic Italian and French influences. James previously worked alongside chefs Gary Rhodes and Alastair Little, and was head chef at Tom Conran’s The Cow in Notting Hill. Driven by a desire to open their own restaurant outside London, In 2004 James and and his wife, Bianca who runs the front of house, fell in love with and opened the striking Fox & Hounds, lovingly restoring it to create the stylish restaurant and pub you see today.
The simple but sophisticated menu features creative seasonal food with seasonal ingredients including light dishes like Crab Taco with mango salsa and hand-made spaghetti with clams to Swaledale Lamb Rump and Old Spot Pork Loin. Ingredients are carefully sourced including rare-breed meat, native Cornish lobsters and local game.
The Fox & Hounds is stylishly decorated with eclectic furniture, quirky art and shelves full of James’ favourite recipe books. The light and spacious dining room is perfect for private parties from weddings to family gatherings or business events, while the terrace and garden are a peaceful spot to relax in the summer.
Gareth Ward at Ynyshir
Michelin-star restaurant and rooms in Wales
Ynyshir is a Michelin star, 5 AA* rosette restaurant and rooms in Wales. Chef Owner, Gareth Ward, is the Good Food Guide’s Chef of the Year 2019 and regularly cited as one of the most exciting chefs in the country.
Gareth Ward’s philosophy is ‘Ingredient Led, Flavour Driven, Fat Fuelled, Meat Obsessed’. Ynyshir is all about great food, great music and amazing drinks. Ward describes it as: ‘fun dine’ rather than ‘fine dine’.Ward is passionate about using the best British ingredients to create dining experiences rather than just a meal. He doesn’t adhere to traditional culinary rules with every small dish taking you on a journey of flavours, textures and ingredients.
Chef Gareth Ward is passionate about using the best ingredients including local meat, foraged herbs and berries - for example tapping all the birch in their grounds to make syrup or the whole team taking a day out to harvest and preserve wild garlic for the year ahead. He is also known for his use of Japanese techniques and ingredients like miso, dashi, mirin and soy which enable him to get as much flavour as possible out of the other ingredients while keeping the dishes light. Ward is renowned for his dedication to ageing meat to improve its flavour and texture and Ynyshir is the first restaurant in the UK to have a fully-wrap around Himalayan Salt Chamber.
Tucked away between the golden sands of Borth Beach and the rugged mountains of Snowdonia National Park in Wales, Ynyshir’s location makes it the perfect remote escape for food lovers looking for a completely unique culinary experience. The dining experience takes guests on a creative journey through Wales and the British Isles, surprising and delighting their taste buds with every dish.
Bia Rebel Ramen
Ramen shop and take-away in Belfast
Bia Rebel Ramen is a small casual restaurant and take-away in Belfast which fuses the best Irish produce with Japanese cuisine to create addictive bowls of “authentic Irish ramen”. With plans to open a second site in the city in 2020, founders Brian Donnelly and Jenny Holland have brought us in to help raise their profile in the UK media, to grow the Bia Rebel brand and tell Brian’s inspiring story.
‘Bia’ means food in Irish and founders chef Brian Donnelly and his partner Jenny Holland are true their name rebelling against formal fine dining and cheap fast food. They aim to create “food that touches your soul” at affordable prices in an informal setting. It’s their passion for delivery and ability to execute it that sets Bia Rebel apart. “We want to create an eating experience that is comforting, nourishing and at the same time exciting and totally unique.”
Winners of the Observer Food Monthly Cheap Eats Award in 2018, Bia Rebel opened only a few months earlier in March 2018. With just 12 seats and take-away, Bia Rebel locals, students and even Japanese families come in for fast nourishing bowl of ramen.
Brian started working in kitchens aged just 13 spending most of his career in Michelin-star restaurants led by the likes of Gary Rhodes, Gordon Ramsey and Kevin Thornton and the creator of Irish cuisine Myrtle Allen at Ballymaloe. By 2017 he needed to step away from the stress of working in fine dining restaurants and Jenny convinced him that the time was right to open their own place. After a year of trialling concepts at Belfast’s St George’s Market, they hit on ramen.
Brian says: “We decided to focus on just one product and hit upon the iconic Japanese noodle which is loved across the world. We’re not trying to be Japanese. We’re an Irish restaurant. It just so happens this wonderful, perfect dish we’re making is considered Japanese. Provided you adhere to basic building blocks you can make it what you want.”
Brian quickly found out that it was impossible to source fresh noodles here so set his mind to perfecting his own recipe. He says “Our noodles are made by hand from just a few ingredients - it’s a pure process that takes huge commitment and dedication.”
Jenny says: “We see Ireland and Japan as two island nations with so much wonderful produce to choose from. We chose our suppliers carefully, and use small farmers and independent producers as much as possible. You won’t find produce of this quality and this price anywhere else.”
Binary Botanical
“As a small start-up brand we could not have asked for a better partner in Polly. Well respected and connected in the food and drink industry Polly is able to get the impossible done with a limited budget.
In addition, because we were new to the world of PR, the guidance to develop our communication strategy and honest feedback when we were going on a tangent was invaluable.
I would highly recommend Polly to anyone looking for a ‘partner’ rather than ‘supplier’ which is a rare find.”
Binary Botanical, a sophisticated light beer for wine-lovers created by Good Living Brew Company. This superior refreshing beer with a tangy prosecco-like taste, was created by a team of women with years’ of experience of the brewing industry, shared frustration of wanting a moderate alcoholic beverage – yet not enjoying the traditional bitter taste of beer.
binary botanical launched in summer 2018 and was listed by Ocado in May 2019. It is also available in independent retailers including Harvey Nichols and a number of bars and restaurants including Tramshed Shoreditch and L’Ortolan.
While most beers are brewed using hop cones, binary botanical is infused for five days with organic leaves from Sovereign and First Gold hop bines, the name given to the stems of the hop plant. And while hops impart a bitterness that isn’t for everyone, hop bine leaves add a unique flavour.
Good Living Brew Company asked me to help them distill their complex messaging to engage with customers in both the retail and bar/restaurant environment. I am now supporting their Ocado launch with a targeted PR campaign to the trade and consumer press.
Le Café du Marché, London
Renowned as an atmospheric and convivial French restaurant, Le Café du Marché has been open for three decades and is still family-run. Tucked away down a cobbled mews in historic Smithfield, it is one of the oldest restaurants in the area. Downstairs a characterful restaurant serves authentic French cuisine, while upstairs is a unique private dining room - perfect for parties, dinners, corporate events and wedding celebrations.
The regularly changing à la carte menu uses the best fresh and seasonal ingredients, features daily specials and ever popular dishes such as la cote de boeuf with sauce béarnaise; braised beef bourguignon and celeriac puree; mousse au chocolat and classic French cheese and wine.
The ground floor restaurant saw extensive renovation during 2017 to open up the previously separate café. The space retains the bare brick walls and beams of this former warehouse and coach house for neighbouring Charterhouse. The atmosphere is that of a traditional French brasserie, with live jazz in the evenings. In the summer tables spill out onto the pavement.
The high-ceilinged first-floor private dining room, Le Grenier “the attic”, has large windows and characterful oak panelling, creating a light and rustic French atmosphere in the centre of London. The room is self-contained with its own entrance, bar, toilets, and kitchen. The light and airy space seats up to 62 people for lunch or dinner and up to 120 for canapés but is also cosy enough to suit smaller groups too.
Downstairs, Le Rendezvous seats up to 35 and benefits from the background live jazz that plays in the main restaurant. The whole restaurant can be hired for parties of 150 to 300 people.
Chef: Andrew Sheridan
Andrew Sheridan is an up and coming chef who represented Wales on Great British Menu in 2018 and was branded ‘the maverick chef’ for his unconventional approach. He scored a couple of 10s from Paul Ainsworth and the other judges.
Sosban is housed in striking Victorian Pumphouse close to the sea at Llanelli. Since he arrived in autumn last year, he’s transformed the food leading on tasting menus which play with intriguing flavours, textures and temperatures.
Sosban is one of the most exciting restaurants in Wales. Andrew and his team create menus that connect diners with each dish either through memories, taste or seasons. Andrew cooks with flair and imagination, combining bold flavours with intriguing textures and temperatures to create a memorable experience all served in a relaxed environment.
Andrew believes that each dish should tell a story - torched mackerel for example, is reminiscent of barbecuing fresh fish on the beach. He says “My philosophy is simple: I use the best possible ingredients to create dishes that emphasise seasonal flavours and excite the palate. Whether that is the freshest seafood, seasonal fruit and vegetables or the best quality meat, every item on the menu is meticulously sourced and each plate is designed to intrigue and excite our diners.”
Sosban is becoming renowned for its four- and seven-course tasting menus (with vegetarian versions). The menu features some of Andrew’s signature dishes such as Cod Five Ways, cabbage puree, salt and vinegar chips; and Pembrokeshire Goat, torched cucumber, caramelised goats cheese and wild garlic and his elevated apple rice-pudding made famous when it scored 10 points from judges on the Great British Menu.
Hodmedod
Hodmedod was founded in 2012 by Nick Saltmarsh, Josiah Meldrum and William Hudson after they realised the absurdity of the British relationship with pulses: most of the UK’s beans are exported to the Middle East and Northern Africa, while most of the pulses consumed within the UK are imported from abroad. They decided to do something about this and started working with local producers of fava beans, a bean which has been grown in Britain since the Iron Age but little eaten here in recent centuries. After successfully bringing British-grown Fava beans to the market, with a highly favourable response from individuals, retailers and caterers, they started to explore other British varieties of beans and peas, as well as cereals like lentils, quinoa, chia and grains like naked barley.
Hodmedod works with a network of farmers to source and sell both organic and conventionally farmed peas, beans and British quinoa online and through independent retailers and farm shops.
In 2016 Hodmedod won multiple awards:
BBC Food & Farming Awards Best Producer 2017
Soil Association Boom Award 2016 - Best overall product in Pantry category
Delicious Magazine: Winner, From the Field 2016
Suffolk Greenest County - Food & Drink category 2016
Great Taste Awards - British Quinoa, Carlin Peas and Yellow Split Pea Flour, Organic Naked Barley and many other products.