George Dart is part of the latest generation involved in running Darts Farm, a renowned food and shopping destination in Devon. At 25, George has been instrumental in bringing new ideas and innovations to the family business. He is particularly known for his role in creating The Farm Table, a field-to-fork restaurant that emphasises locally sourced and home-grown produce. George’s journey with Darts Farm began early, working there during school holidays. He later studied food marketing and business economics at Reading University, where he gained insights that helped him navigate the challenges posed by the pandemic. His vision for The Farm Table was inspired by the Italian marketplaces of Eataly, blending retail and dining experiences to create a unique and immersive environment.
Under his influence, The Farm Table has received several accolades, including an AA Rosette and Higher Member status from The Trencherman’s Guide and they’ve recently been featured in the Good Food Guide’s top 100 local restaurants in the UK. George’s approach focuses on celebrating the simplicity and quality of local ingredients, making the restaurant a standout destination for food lovers.
I’ve seen George a few times when popping into Darts Farm and his clear enthusiasm for what he does has always intrigued me. I was very happy that he agreed to take a moment out of his busy schedule to chat with me.
What does your Monday morning routine look like?
I’m quite a creature of habit really. I go to this gym called The Training Yard at 6 o’clock every morning. It’s an amazing place that is quite community driven, with the same people each morning. When I get home, I have scrambled eggs. I also have two dogs, so I walk the dogs and get to work around 8.00am where I go around to all the different departments and try and piece together all the carnage that went on over the weekend, and make a bit of a plan for the week.
If you could time travel and have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why?
I’ve got two answers. One is not a usual one, but I never met my grandparents, so it would be quite interesting to go back and have dinner with them and hear a few stories. I grew up hearing stories about them and the kind of people they were and what life was like back then. If we’re talking about famous people, then I’d like to meet someone like Steve Jobs. I think that would be quite interesting. He was a bit of a visionary and quite an inspirational leader. He managed to turn quite a boring industry into something really creative and sexy.
What’s your all-time favourite movie, and why?
It’s a bit cheesy, but the original Point Break with Patrick Swayze. The surfing, the bank robbery. It’s probably not a great theatrical performance, but I love it! I tend to watch films that I’ve already seen before – if I’m locked in for a few hours I need to know I’m going to like it.
If you could visit any place in the world right now, where would you go?
San Sebastian in Northern Spain. I think the food culture there looks amazing. That’s one place I’m desperate to go to…if I could have a little more time off! Then there’s South America – Peru, Columbia… I managed to travel a bit through Central America earlier this year and everyone I met on the circuit was saying that Peru was just the most beautiful country in the world, so doing a couple of weeks of hiking there would also be pretty cool.
What is your most memorable childhood foody memory?
It was here at work. When I was really young, we used to have this lady called Doris, who worked with us until she was kind of in her late eighties and she used to make jam in the staff room. There’s a corridor with all the offices leading off it and every day the whole place would just smell of warm jam being cooked with our own strawberries. Unfortunately, she passed a few years ago, but the place is missing a bit of strawberry jam now!
Name one thing on your bucket list that you still need to do.
I’d like to do an Iron Man someday but I don’t know how achievable that is. Heli-skiing would also probably be at the top of my list. That would be: “I’ve made it in life if I’ve jumped out of a helicopter!”
Share a quote or motto that inspires you or by which you live your life.
We always had, in the downstairs loo of my Granny’s house, the poem ‘IF’ by Rudyard Kipling. It’s just a great lesson on how to be a good person. I think if you can try and live your life by that poem, then you’re doing alright.
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be and why?
I know it’s quite a boring one, but flying would be quite cool! Just to be able to get to places quickly, as long as you don’t have a speed limit on you! Teleporting would be more efficient I guess, but not so much fun.
What job is the favourite you’ve ever had and what made it so special?
I’ve only really been here at Darts Farm for proper jobs. I think the whole The Farm Table project of building a restaurant and then running it is pretty special. That journey from building the site, to service in full flow, full dining room, guests enjoying themselves and the team smiling – that gives me an amazing sense of fulfilment. I also love the fact that this place is so varied that literally each day is different. We have so many different characters here and so many different things to do that my role has evolved a bit over time.
I’m still quite early in my career so I haven’t had that many jobs, but when I was at university I worked at Chase Distillery, and over weekends I would work in Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason and do tasting sessions. It was a great way to see different shops and bring some contacts back here. I also did a few weeks at Neil’s Yard Dairy in London just after Uni before I finally came home and that was quite transformational. They’ve got an incredible business and culture, so that was an inspirational time that set my path in the right direction.
What’s a skill you’ve always wanted to learn but haven’t had the chance to yet?
Maybe the production side of wine or cider making. We do a bit of selling, drinking and tasting here and I’d love to know more about the making… A month at a place like Sandford Orchards and kind of get stuck in over harvest time. Or something with more outdoors knowledge like identifying wild foods and stalking.
What hobbies or interests do you have that would surprise us?
All my hobbies tend to be kind of work related! Like going to find nice restaurants or food experiences.
What are you currently listening to?
I went to Glastonbury a couple of months ago and saw a few really cool acts. I listen to a lot of Jungle. I like the Bombay Bicycle Club. I also quite like podcasts. My favourite isn’t out all the time, but Jenny Linford does one called ‘A Slice of Cheese’ where she speaks to cheese makers and cheese mongers. It sounds nerdy but it’s a good half hour of interesting conversations!
What is your favourite food/drink product on the market right now and why?
There’s a little Chinese restaurant in Exeter and Lyme Regis called Red Panda and they make the Red Panda Chilli Crisp – preserved black beans, crispy onions and chilli in oil. I put it on my scrambled eggs. It’s unbelievable, so addictive! It’s becoming a bit of a problem…
What would your last meal be?
How many courses are we talking about? For a main it would be beef from the farmer. A Ruby Red sirloin on the bone cooked over the coals. I love outdoor cooking! Or maybe a nice raw fish dish like a crudo. For dessert I’d like a Tiramisu – a big tray. That would be me. Happy!
What would you do if you weren’t in the food, drink & hospitality industry?
I couldn’t do anything office based. It would have to be people related. Something like being one of the top ski guides in the world and taking people out skiing all day. That would be the dream – out in nature and fresh air, with a bit of adrenaline.
You can get in contact with George via LinkedIn.
