By Angela Green
Restaurant News is sponsored by Newbridge Software
Chiswick House & Gardens Trust are delighted to announce a new partnership with Sam’s Riverside, supplying produce harvested from the Grade-I listed 17th century Kitchen Garden. The Chiswick-grown fruit, vegetables and herbs will supply Sam’s West London restaurants including Sam’s Kitchen in Hammersmith and Sam’s Larder sites in Brentford and Chiswick.
Building on its 350-year history, the Kitchen Garden at Chiswick House & Gardens is a thriving, productive space within the 65-acre Chiswick Gardens. The small team of gardeners, supported by 40 volunteers, grow a broad range of produce for sale and for donation to local food charities. The walled haven is also a space for visitors and local community groups to find peace and gardening inspiration, experience seasonal produce growing and see gardeners at work.
Sam Harrison, founder of Sam’s Riverside, said “We’re delighted to be sourcing such a diverse range of delicious locally grown produce for all of our sites, from our neighbours at Chiswick House & Gardens. Our modern British restaurants fully support the ‘farm to fork’ approach and Rosie and the team are growing and harvesting some innovative crops that will inspire our chefs to create exciting new dishes for our menus.”
Sam’s restaurants have already received quantities of Agretti (originally from the Mediterranean), Amaranths (Mexico and Central America), Cucamelons (Mexico), Buck’s Horn Plantain (coastal Europe), ancient/historic vegetables and herbs like red orach, summer savoury and edible flowers from rose petals to cornflowers.
Rosie Fyles, Head of Gardens at Chiswick House & Gardens Trust said “Our vision for the Kitchen Garden is to continue to evoke history and be inspired by it whilst also adapting to climate changes and our communities’ needs. We’re experimenting with growing a diverse range of crops that are good to eat, interesting to grow and feed our wildlife too. Working with Sam’s now gives us a perfect way of growing an interesting array of locally grown produce that the chefs will enjoy using and that they may not be able to easily source elsewhere.”
As well as supplying Sam’s Riverside and direct sales to Kitchen Garden visitors, at least half of the produce harvested is donated to local food charities such as the Felix Project and Surplus to Supper.
Rosie Fyles, Head of Gardens at Chiswick House & Gardens Trust added: “We want as many people as possible to benefit from what we grow – we donate at least as much as we sell – and Sam’s paying us a fair, market price enables us to do just that.”
The Kitchen Garden at Chiswick House & Gardens is open Thursday-Sunday, 11 am–4 pm until 29 October. Free entry for Members of the Chiswick House & Gardens Trust.
Produce from Kitchen Garden is available to purchase from the Conservatory Shop from 11 am on Thursdays and Saturdays and from the Chiswick House & Gardens Café, from 11 am on Tuesdays and Fridays, while stocks last. 10% discount for Members of the Chiswick House & Gardens Trust.
Sam’s Riverside is open Monday-Saturday Noon–9.45 pm and Sunday Noon–4 pm. Sam’s Kitchen is open daily 8 am–3 pm. Sam’s Larders are open daily from 8 am.