Allowing everyone to know where their food comes from…
Farm to table has been the word on the street for a while now but the Islington Townhouse, just around the corner from iconic Chapel Market, has gone a step further and is introducing farm to neighbour, allowing direct exchange between local producers and the community. Every Tuesday evening, starting from the 7th March, the Islington Townhouse will become a Food Assembly host providing a space to connect neighbours to farmers, neighbours to each other, and everyone to their food.
The Food Assembly was started in December 2010 by two friends in France who wanted to create a more efficient local food distribution network, and help support farmers and producers supplying local high quality produce directly to the community. The Islington Townhouse are big on food themselves, serving plates including a twice-baked Gruyère soufflé, octopus carpaccio and monkfish kebab, which was one of many reasons why they wanted to get involved with Food Assembly, already present in 15 boroughs across London, and provide a space for the community to come together and talk food.
Every Tuesday evening Islington Food Assembly members will collect their pre-ordered produce from the cosy and stylish surrounding of Islington Town House, giving them a chance to connect with neighbours, as well as meet producers to ask questions and talk about where their food has come from.
For Londoners bored of hearing the phrases ‘farm to table’ and ‘root to stem’ head to the Islington Townhouse for a new movement ‘farm to neighbour’, allowing everyone to know where their food comes from.
About the Islington Townhouse
The Islington Townhouse, a Hippo Inn venture, features an open bar, inventive food and drinks menu and stylist surroundings, offering customers the chance to experience something different from a traditional pub. Set over three floors, including a snug, open bar area and upstairs dining room, the Islington Townhouse serves a selection of small plates, craft beer and creative cocktails. Combining both the contemporary and the classic, the modern light fittings and artwork are juxtaposed with traditional British pub features including wooden beer pumps, wingback chairs and original features from the building.
About the Food Assembly
The Food Assembly is a new way to shop for food, directly from local producers. Our vision is to create a better way to eat, where everyone has access to the pleasure of local food, and is connected to the people who make it. Community is at the heart of The Food Assembly – we connect neighbours to producers, neighbours to each other, and everyone to their food. When you buy local, everyone gets a better deal: communities get to know each other, farmers get a fair price for their work, and you get locally sourced fresh produce!
How it works: Consumers purchase food online through the Food Assembly platform and pick it up from a weekly collection on Tuesday evenings at The Islington Town House. This is a chance to meet the producers and your neighbours!
Last year Food Assembly won the Best British Food Initiative at the BBC Food and Farming Awards “for making a positive difference to how and what Britain eats”, and “Best Retailer” at the London Urban Food Awards.