It was a blustery and wet February morning when I came to Kingcombe Nature Reserve for the first time, having found it on a new 'local walks' app that I had. It immediately struck me as a magical place and I – like many – was somewhat ashamed that I had never heard of it until then. Little did I know that three short months later, I would be starting my new business as Catering Partner for the Dorset Wildlife Trust at Kingcombe, running the cafe and catering for events held on site.
I have worked in hospitality for the last 30 years, from the Isles of Scilly up to the Cotswolds – all stunning places. However, my heart is here in Dorset – my last two businesses being quintessential thatched village inns, and latterly being awarded the CAMRA West Dorset Pub of the year title in 2019 - a career highlight thus far.
I love the buzz of meeting new people, helping them have a great day and, of course, offering good quality, home-cooked food. I have cooked all my life and presented my first dinner party at the age of eight to my parents and four of their friends, so I would call myself a hard and fast foodie! My ethos has always been to use local suppliers wherever possible, and, with my previous contacts, I was delighted to work with them again.
Having put a small team in place, we opened The Kitchen at Kingcombe on 12 May and we were immediately impressed with the amount of people who come by – walkers, cyclists, nature lovers, families, tourists and locals alike. All these customers have contributed to our first six months being very successful. There were also various bookings in the on-site 'Cowshed' accommodation and 'Swallow Barn' meeting space, so I was kept very busy organising breakfasts, cakes, lunches, dinners and more. The end of June saw a very busy weekend with three days of celebrating Kingcombe Meadows and Powerstock Common being awarded National Nature Reserve Status. Organising buffets for nearly 100 people each day tested our capabilities, but we came through with flying colours!
Then came the summer holidays, with some great events organised by the lovely team here at the Kingcombe Visitor Centre which proved extremely popular for everyone involved, as people stopped by before and after for refreshments. Having gained our alcohol license, I was once again able to contact some of our local organic Cider and Ale suppliers, and sunny summer afternoons saw local families popping by for a Prosecco cream tea or a refreshing honey cider (with fresh mint from the garden), in the lovely outdoor areas.
The extreme heat in a conservatory cafe and kitchen was somewhat challenging. During the heatwaves we modified our offering, (to avoid grills and ovens) and continued to welcome grateful visitors with local ice cream and chilled refreshments.
As the leaves started turning and autumn approached, the abundance of produce growing on the reserve became evident. Apples, rose-hips, crab apples, blackberries, courgettes, beans, green tomatoes, spinach, cucumbers, rhubarb and various herbs have all been used in our dishes. It’s been delightful to be able to wander out and pick what we need and research new recipes to utilise all nature has to offer here. Our wonderful volunteers are constantly popping in with ingredients they have harvested for us, and they have kindly planted new crops for next year.
As winter approaches, we are actively promoting this wonderful place to ensure more people are aware of everything there is to offer here at Kingcombe Nature Reserve. We are also organising Christmas Parties, Monthly Curry and Quiz nights, pre-ordered Christmas Cakes and more – so watch this space!
My small team have been amazing to work with and I couldn't have achieved any of it without them, with my special thanks going to Claire, Sharon, Sam, Abi and Gill. We look forward to seeing what the next six months and beyond has to offer in what we affectionately call ‘our little piece of heaven’.
