At The Forest Side, the way we cook begins outside.
Our kitchen garden sits within the grounds, restored after many years of neglect and now flourishing once again. Growing here is nothing new. In September 1858, the Westmorland Gazette reported on the “great success in rearing wall fruit” achieved by The Forest Side gardener, Mr Roberts.
More than 160 years later, the garden is once again part of the daily life of the house.
Throughout the year, our garden and kitchen teams work closely together, deciding what to grow, tending it through the seasons and making the most of what thrives. What Head Chef Paul Leonard and his team want to cook helps shape what is planted, while what is ready in the garden helps shape what appears on the menu.
Produce is picked when it is at its best and brought the short distance from garden to kitchen. The greenhouse and wider grounds add still more: herbs, leaves, flowers and wild ingredients that find their way into dishes, drinks and infusions across the house.
Everything is grown with care, using natural methods and working with the seasons rather than against them. There is no need to force things here. We grow what works, pick it when it is ready and let Paul and the team take it from there.
It is a simple relationship between garden and kitchen, and one that feels entirely at home at The Forest Side.
