From the kitchen - Newsletter
July 2018
The last two months at Gravetye have been hugely enjoyable; being back in the kitchen and producing food for the stunning new dining room.
It was a steep learning curve at the very start getting used to the new equipment and procedures, but we are now reaping the rewards of a well-designed, modern and efficient “behind the scenes” area that is allowing the quality and style of the food to progress even further.
The garden is dictating our ingredient base more than ever before, and the incredible ever-changing produce allows us to make that important connection between the food and the garden, now with only a glass wall separating them!
Asparagus, sea kale, wild garlic, watercress, outdoor rhubarb, elderflower and peas have already finished, but we are well into the middle of summer now and the courgettes, tomatoes, fine beans, white peaches, strawberries, currants, gooseberries, young leeks, cauliflowers, radish, beetroots, carrots, sweetcorn, cucumbers, lettuce and a long list of herbs are all on the menu.
To make sure that the garden and kitchen teams can co-ordinate this operation efficiently, the gardeners create a list that they give to the kitchen in the evening telling us what they are bringing down the next day, what other items are available to order and a quick forecast of changes that we need to know about. The kitchen team then make notes and the gardeners collect first thing in the morning to start cropping, taking a combined 10 to 15 hours every morning. These lists also form an account over the year of what we have been producing and when, allowing us to more accurately react for the next growing season. It is a joy to visit the kitchen garden and a must for anyone who is interested that comes here.
Head Chef George.