Kevin Drake, head chef at the Stewarts Garden Centre restaurant in Broomhill, says that his team are growing as much of their own vegetables and fruit as the spring weather allows. Drake and his team are striving to produce fresh food that their visitors would appreciate. Even at home, Kevin, who has worked at the centre for nearly three years, is growing tomatoes and runner beans and is a proud owner of a good selection of herbs that are now being enjoyed.
“As we recruit cooks and other kitchen staff we encourage their interest in horticulture and the ever growing need to ensure that we source produce from local farms and suppliers,” said Kevin Drake. “I believe that customers appreciate the difference in the taste.”
The popularity of “growing your own” has been encouraged by the gardening magazines and television programmes over the recent years. Stewarts Garden Centre is one of the few independent family owned businesses in the region that still goes back to its roots and maintains its own nursery, also based at Broomhill that not only provides plants for its own centres, but for other horticultural retailers.
Further information available from www.stewarts.co.uk
