A stunning new field kitchen with outstanding views has opened in Slade Road, Ottery St Mary.
Coldharbour Field Kitchen is the culmination of many months of hard work for Andrea Broadhurst and business partner Beth Ashfield. It replaces the original café they opened with their farm shop in 2016, on the farm that Andrea’s grandfather started over 80 years’ ago.
“The idea was actually sparked by the pandemic,” explains Andrea. “When government guidelines only allowed outdoor dining, we opened a small-scale field kitchen to serve our customers outside. It went down a storm, and we had lots of positive comments about the stunning views.”
So when life started settling back into normality and customers could once again eat inside, the pair realised that the success of the temporary field kitchen gave them something to build on – literally! Local trades worked on every aspect of the project, from the architect, builder, electrician and carpenter to the glass and flooring. The coffee machine and barista training was supplied by Owens Coffee.
Access has been well thought through, with a ramp to provide accessibility for elderly, disabled and wheelchair bound customers. “And we’ve built a posh disabled toilet with colour coded accessories to help our partially sighted customers.” There’s plenty of inside seating in a quirkily designed interior, plus a large outdoor decked seating area, the ideal place for admiring the views.
Green credentials include the addition of solar panels to the south-facing roof to generate all the electricity needed to run the field kitchen, with a back-up generator as a ‘just in case’. Andrea was so inspired during her research into all the green options available that she’s now looking into the option of solar ovens. “Hopefully one day customers can enjoy a Boeuf Bourguignon cooked by the sun!”
The menu, designed by Beth, offers a wide choice of meals from traditional and more quirky breakfasts to lunchtime delights such as smashed chickpeas, chicken Caesar salad and lots of options featuring Coldharbour Farm’s own meat, from pulled pork baps to ‘sheep’ dogs.
“Everything is made using locally sourced ingredients,” Beth explains. “As well as produce fresh from the farm, we’re using free range eggs, milk, veg and other produce from local suppliers such as Creedy Carver, Hawkridge Cheese and Exmoor Game. And then there are our homemade cakes and scones!” Dogs are welcome, and a special part of the menu is dedicated to four-legged friends, including doggy ice cream and a Coldharbour pork sausage.
The field kitchen has its own bar stocked with plenty of locally produced drinks from cider and ales to vodka, rum and gin. “In fact, we’ve got 21 artisan gins on the bar menu – including our very own Flaming Barrel which celebrates Ottery’s famous tar barrels.” The field kitchen stays open late on Friday and Saturday for customers wanting to enjoy tapas and sundowners.
The first visitors to the new field kitchen were impressed with the set-up, the choice of food and drink and the care that has been taken with every element of the new venture. “It’s been exhausting but we’re so happy to finally open the doors,” says Andrea.
A significant investment has gone into the new field kitchen, the biggest step yet for this award winning Ottery business which has proven so successful since it opened. “The proof is in the pudding so please come along and see what all the fuss is about!”
