AUTUMN / WINTER
NO 7
2025
Hogwash THE SEASONAL DISPATCH
CALL OF THE WILD The power of natural beauty Wines made with you in mind Sneaker peek: our chic trainers
+ hotel guide + news + outings + recipes HOGWASH \ AUTUMN / WINTER
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PIGGY BITS
A YEAR OF OUR
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FOR AG ER’S PICKS... All of our kitchens love to make the most of wild seasonal produce. Over the years, we’ve built relationships with a network of brilliant foragers, who bring us the best goodies hiding on our doorstep. These picks are from Peter, our master forager at THE PIG in the New Forest
In summer 2025, we celebrated the first birthday of The Village Pub – our very first PIG pub, just across the road from THE PIG-in the Cotswolds, in the idyllic village of Barnsley. Since it opened its doors on 14 June 2024, our charming English country inn has become a beloved part of the community – a friendly hub for PIG guests, as well as our fantastic neighbours and regulars, to enjoy proper British pub food, local ales and perfectly poured Guinness. And enjoy them we did! In our first year, we popped almost 900 bottles of fizz and dished up more than 8,700 bar snacks. (Our crispy potatoes were a top favourite – you’ll have to try them to see why.) We pulled over 6,730 pints of our much-loved LOL Lager, from our friends at Stroud Brewery, and dished up more than 4,680 of our classic homemade pies. A very big cheers from us to you, for making our first birthday one to remember. Swing by and see us this season – we’ll have the fires roaring, a table ready and a cold one waiting for you.
Hunker down with us There’s no better time of year to bring the gang together again – and at THE PIG, we truly love nothing more than welcoming everyone round to our house on a cosy evening. So, we’re fully embracing the season of hosting and putting on a fantastic line-up of unmissable PIG events for you and your favourite people this autumn and winter. From foodie workshops to wild foraging and wine courses to rustic supper clubs with fantastic speakers, find out more and book your space at thepighotel.com/events. And if you’re looking to throw your own bash, we have plenty of seriously special PIG spaces for private hire. To discover where you could be celebrating, visit our Gather & Celebrate page at thepighotel.com.
SEPTEMBER – DECEMBER Sloe berries For sloe gin, jams and jellies. Rosehips Rich in vitamin C and traditionally used to make rosehip syrup. Beefsteak fungus Beautiful, bright red edible mushrooms. Crab apples Small, tart apples perfect for jellies, jams and butters. Ceps Among the most highly regarded wild mushrooms. Hen of the woods Large wild mushrooms that appear at the base of oak trees. Winter chanterelles Frost-resistant wild mushrooms. Hedgehog fungi Have “spines”, hence the common name. Great in sauces. Pennywort A crunchy and succulent wild green leaf. Horseradish root Can be used in the same way as cultivated horseradish. Hairy bittercress Not hairy or bitter! Tastes a little like watercress.
JANUARY – MARCH Three-cornered garlic Its long, thin leaves have a garlic/onion flavour. Chickweed A great salad green. Douglas fir Use needles in syrups and as a flavouring. Alexanders Taste like celery and parsley. Crow garlic Looks like a chive, but has more of a garlic flavour. Wild chervil Young leaves that can be used like parsley or as a garnish. Wild garlic Perfect for pesto. Use the leaves, flowers and seeds – not the bulb. Stinging nettles Ideal for soup. Gorse The small yellow flowers have a coconut-like flavour and can be used for syrups, infusions and tea.
LOCAL GUIDE: TURN TO THE CENTRE PAGES FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO ENJOY YOUR STAY. ALL YOUR ESSENTIAL
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☞ SET THE BAR Take a peek inside your PIG bedroom larder and you’ll find three brand-new bottled cocktails that have been expertly muddled and mixed to help you to sit back and unwind during your stay. Choose from a Negroni, an Old Fashioned and a Strawberry Cosmopolitan, and simply pour into a rocks glass (over ice, if you like it extra cold). None of the fuss; all of the frivolity. We’ll drink to that.
Chinese artichokes, brussels sprouts, sprouting broccoli
AND WE’RE PLANTING… Garlic, onions, broad beans, winter salads, cabbages, leeks, tomatoes, aubergines
☞ EXTRA HELPINGS
Notes from the Kitchen Garden
In summer 2025, our PIG people took to the saddle for the Summer Cycle Challenge, organised by our charity partner Hospitality Action, which supports people who work in the hospitality industries with help and advice during any tough times in life. Our PIG team pedalled over 103 miles together, and were proud to raise £1,115. This has been topped up further by our generous guests, with voluntary £1 donations on food bills across THE PIGs throughout July and August, helping to raise more vital funds for a cause very close to our hearts.
During November and December, we will start to harvest more of our root crops, such as celeriac, parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes and Chinese artichokes, for our menus. We also plant salads in our polytunnels, as the heating, lighting and protective covers help to nurture these tender crops over the colder months. Our winter salads, leeks and brassicas can be harvested daily throughout the winter until the very last of them finish in April. Towards the end of January and February, we sow thousands of tomato, pepper and aubergine plants – so there’s always plenty to do to keep us busy and excited for what’s to come in spring. Come rain or shine, our teams will be out every day in the Kitchen Gardens to pick the freshest produce for our menus – even on Christmas Day! We’re always more than happy to show you what’s new and what’s in season, so do pop down to say hello and see what we’re up to.
Join us in our Kitchen Gardens Enjoy a free guided tour of our Kitchen Gardens across THE PIGs (excluding THE PIG-in the wall and The Village Pub), every day at 11am. Our kitchen gardeners are always happy to answer any questions you have, and
we can even lend you a pair of wellies. Simply speak to our friendly reception team and come and join us for a morning tour. thepighotel.com/events/kitchen-garden-tours-atthe-pigs
[Back page answers: B, THE PIG-in the South Downs; B]
Ollie, our Kitchen Garden supremo, shares a seasonal update from the veg beds As the warmer months begin handing over the reins to autumn and winter, we sit down with the chefs and review all the produce we’ve planted and harvested over the past few months – and start planning for the season ahead. Each Head Kitchen Gardener creates a week-by-week plan of the calendar year, so we can plot with the kitchen teams what produce we want more of and which new varieties we would like to try, to introduce new ingredients to our menus. In early autumn, we start getting garlic and onions in the ground so they will be ready to harvest next June and July, and we start to sow broad beans to plant out in November. One of my absolute favourite crops, winter squash, can be harvested from mid-autumn – the trick is to let it cure for a few months so the flavour is really enhanced to its full potential. Squash is so versatile, and our chefs love working it into soups, stews, gratins and tarts, mixing it with grains and salads, or even serving it on its own as a simple side dish.
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Winter squash, kale, parsnips, celeriac, Jerusalem artichokes,
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☞ ON THE NICE LIST Stuck for a pressie idea? We’re here to remind you that we offer gift vouchers, which your loved ones can put towards their favourite way to unwind at their preferred PIG. Leave it up to them to decide how they’d like to redeem it or give a dedicated voucher for a Potting Shed treatment, three-course lunch or supper, or a sleepover. Visit gifts.thepighotel.com
HOTEL INFORMATION, ROOM GUIDE, POTTING SHED TREATMENT MENU, THE BEST OUTINGS, LOCAL HEROES AND THINGS TO DO.
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A cut above “WE DESIGNED THESE WINES to pair beautifully with THE PIGs’ typical menu styles,” says Gaddo Castelli, of winemakers Tenuta Fertuna. “From the garden-led plates to meat dishes with richer sauces, we wanted the wines to be flexible across different dining occasions, and to create wines that can be enjoyed alone or with food.” Gaddo is referring to THE PIG Cut range of three high-quality house wines: a red, a white and a rosé. Modest in number, these wines pack a punch when it comes to complex flavour. They are created in Italy by Gaddo and his team at the Tenuta Fertuna winery in Tuscany, specifically for our PIG guests. “With THE PIG group, you’re never going to get a house wine that’s just mass-produced or impersonal, because we all know that PIG guests simply won’t want that,” says Alan Montague-Dennis of wine importer Mentzendorff, which helps to bring THE PIG Cut wines to your glass. “They have come for a memorable experience, in a hotel that has a Kitchen Garden and a real sense of place. Truly good wine can contribute to that feeling that you had a wonderful stay somewhere.” This is where Tenuta Fertuna comes in. The independent family business was established in the 1990s and operates at a small scale for trusted clients. Its vineyard is set in the Maremma, a secluded region in the south of Tuscany. “The Maremma is a relatively new area of Tuscany in terms of being a focal point for wine, especially the sangiovese grape,” says Alan. “It’s in close proximity to the Mediterranean, which is important because of global climate change. Throughout Tuscany, we’re experiencing extremes of climate now, and during the summer, temperatures can be well into the 40s. The sea breezes from the Mediterranean can balance that by cooling the vineyards.” The winemakers at Tenuta Fertuna are well aware of the need to adapt to global climate change, but also not to overly contribute to it. The winery holds Equalitas status, which can be loosely understood
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as the Italian wine industry’s equivalent of B Corp. This speaks to a brand’s sustainability credentials and its performance in terms of environmental, social and ethical responsibility. A shared approach to having a minimal impact on the environment and doing business in a socially responsible way is part of what drew our PIG team to develop wines with Tenuta Fertuna, and vice versa. “We have installed three reservoirs, so we’re recycling our own water and can irrigate when necessary,” says Gaddo of the winemaker’s operations. “We are careful in how we source our glass, we recycle our bottles and we use recycled hopsack paper on our labels, which required us to develop a special glue.” While climate change is a worry, and 2020 may not have been a good year for most of us, “spring 2020 brought our best weather in decades”, says Gaddo. This was very much to the advantage of THE PIG Cut Red 2020 vintage, which was aged for four months in oak and instantly won over many of our guests (not to mention team members) when THE PIG Cut wines launched. The 2020 white, meanwhile, is crisp and vibrant, better suited to lighter dishes. Its blend of sangiovese and vermentino grapes yields a delicate, floral wine, which our sommeliers describe as having “soft notes of white fruits and elderflower”. The results of our PIG partnership with Tenuta Fertuna are three house wines we can be truly proud of, which even the casual wine-drinker can tell at a sip are a cut above the competition. Plus, we have to pop over once in a while to make sure they’re doing it right! “Every year, we take some of our PIG team out to the vineyard so they can see what’s going on,” says Alan. “The winemakers have such a great attitude, and nothing is too much trouble for them. Creating THE PIG Cut wines is a wonderful collaboration.” Try THE PIG Cut wines across our restaurants, at our bars and from your PIG bedroom larder, and buy online at gifts.thepighotel.com
“The sea breezes from the Mediterranean cool the vineyards”
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THE CON VERSA TION
e r e w e w , s G I P E “At TH y it il ib x le f r o f g in look to collaborate on treatments” A shared appreciation of effective natural ingredients for spa treatments unites these two wellness experts OUR WELLNESS DIRECTOR, Harpreet Ghatora, was excited to bring natural and ethically sourced spa-product brand Tribe517 to our PIG treatment spaces. Claire Caddick founded the brand in her family’s barn in South Wales in 2016 (with a name paying tribute to her late best friend, a police officer whose collar number was 517). In the decade since, Claire’s effective, natural and frankly amazing-smelling products have won Tribe517 many loyal fans – including us. HARPREET GHATORA When I heard people talking about Tribe517, and how you made really effective products from natural, ethically sourced botanical ingredients, I knew I wanted to check out your brand. That was when we at THE PIG asked to try some samples and to meet up. I loved coming to see you in your barn in Wales. I remember the first thing I said was that we were looking for the flexibility to collaborate and have products that could fit with what we want our treatments to do… CLAIRE CADDICK We were absolutely on the same page from the beginning with that. We love to collaborate. So many of the big global spa brands want to train therapists to roll out exactly the same treatments, a “one size fits all” approach, because they operate at such a huge scale. We worked out what suited
THE PIGs’ therapists and teams, and the needs of PIG guests. That’s how I prefer to work, as part of a holistic approach, but it’s actually quite rare. HG It was a real “ahhh!” moment for me that we shared that approach. When I developed our Classic Sculpt Prescriptive Facial, for instance, I found that using the Tribe517 Balm helped the Chinese gua sha facial tools that sculpt the face to slide perfectly smoothly across the skin. It’s such a bespoke facial that’s different for everybody. CC Our “hero” Tribe517 Balm was our first product when we started the business about ten years ago, and it is still a real favourite, even though we now have 32 products in our range. We don’t use any allergens or synthetic ingredients, and with natural ingredients, we have the luxury of being able to mix them and try new combinations, like a chemistry set. Some combinations simply smell better together, for example. If you use a lot of unnatural ingredients, you can’t play with them in the same way. HG So many brands will put what seems like 10 million ingredients into a spa product. Some people are almost predisposed to think that a product with more ingredients is going to be better than one with just a few, but, if anything, I find it’s the opposite. What you do ticks so many boxes for me – such as using honey
HARPREET
from your own hives, for example, the same way that we at THE PIGs always look to local ingredients. CC Yes, we’ve got a 120,000-strong colony of bees here in Wales for our Wild Honey Butter and our Wild Honey Mask, which is 90 per cent pure honey. We add to that narcissus (or daffodil) oil, tuberose and hyacinth. When you open that jar – oh, my goodness! – it smells like a country garden. I know it’s been popular with PIG guests, which is great. And with ingredients that aren’t grown here, I will usually know who the farmer is and where the ingredients come from. It’s very much “field to face”. HG It’s never been the PIG way to do any kind of hard sell. But what I notice is that a lot of the people who come for a treatment find the products very effective, and they genuinely want to know what they are. CC That’s fantastic to hear. Like you and the teams at THE PIGs, I was banging the drum for natural ingredients when it didn’t seem as fashionable as it does now. At the end of the day, whatever our environmental credentials, people will only feel loyal to a product or a treatment if it genuinely delivers results for them. Try Tribe517 products when you book a 60- or 90-minute treatment at any of our PIGs
“When you open that ja r– oh, my goodness! – it sm ells like a country garden” CLAIRE
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INFO & GOINGS ON ~ ESSENTIAL INFO & HOTEL GUIDE ~ POTTING SHED TREATMENT MENU ~ KENT CALLING: THINGS TO SEE AND DO ~ THE INSIDE STORY ON GILDA BAKERY
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IT’S FITTING THAT THE FIRST OWNER of Bridge Place should have been known for the good table, good wines and good company he kept. Bridge Place was built in about 1638 by Sir Arnold Braems, the first manager of Dover Harbour. It was a society attraction – the Dutch painter Willem Schellinks visited in 1661 and reported that Sir Arnold kept a princely table and had many visits from knights and high-born gentlemen and ladies. Second only to Chilham Castle in east Kent, it was painted by society artists Jan Siberechts and Adriaen Jansz. By the early 18th century, the house was falling on hard times and was sold to neighbouring landowners, who pulled down much of the property – the current building is just one wing of the original. Glory days returned in the 1960s, when it became a much-loved music venue. The arched wooden door to the sitting room was once the entrance to a nightclub where Led Zeppelin, The Kinks and The Yardbirds all played early gigs. The rural location meant there were few neighbours to disturb. These days, we also use this idyllic Kentish location to nurture our Kitchen Garden, accessed via a bridge and practically on its own island. Here, you will find productive raised beds brimming with vegetables, our Alitex Mottisfont greenhouse and our polytunnels, which help to nurture tender crops with heating and lighting. Today, the knights and rock stars have departed – or not, depending on who your fellow guests are. But with plenty of lovingly refurbished original features to soak up, a stunning countryside setting and THE PIG’s emphasis on the best local Kentish produce, this remains a special house where the good times always roll.
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Speak to our reception team to book a treatment LUMINANCE BRIGHTENING FACIAL (60 minutes £125, or 90 minutes £170) A luxurious treatment to even out the skin’s complexion, tone and appearance for a radiant glow. Upgrade to 90 minutes to start your facial with a back, neck and shoulder massage, with or without hot stones. CLASSIC SCULPT PRESCRIPTIVE FACIAL (60 minutes £125, or 90 minutes £170) This tailored treatment includes a facial massage to leave your skin visibly plump and lifted. Your therapist works with gua sha stones to refine the skin and promote a radiant complexion. Upgrade to 90 minutes to start your facial with a back, neck and shoulder massage, with or without hot stones. UPPER BODY UNWIND (60 minutes £125, or 90 minutes £170) A personalised massage targeting your back, arms, face and scalp. It begins with a warm exfoliation of the back, followed by a soothing massage, and finishes with a facial. Upgrade to 90 minutes to include a soothing massage to promote deep restoration and muscle relief. MUM TO BE (60 minutes £125, or 90 minutes £170) Melt away in this truly luxurious massage. Your bump is treated to a gentle exfoliation, cleanse and nourishing remedy balm to improve skin elasticity while you enjoy a soothing scalp massage. Suitable for those in their second and third trimester. Upgrade to 90 minutes to include a mini facial.
Wander through the walled Kitchen Garden... ... past the raised beds, alongside the river and into our warm, rustic retreats: our Potting Shed treatment rooms, quiet and calm and designed to help you escape it all. Take inspiration from the garden surroundings and experience deeply relaxing full-body and facial treatments using products by Tribe517, a family-run natural skincare brand that handcrafts its products in the beautiful South Wales countryside. Like us, Tribe517 is passionate about using homegrown or ethically sourced botanical ingredients that care for the planet as well as mind and body – and is dedicated to recycling and using up everything it can.
Good to know
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Our therapists have been professionally trained to offer safe and effective spa treatments for guests recovering from or undergoing cancer treatments. Just ask at reception to speak to one of the Potting Shed team if you would like to know more.
Old tobacco tins, gardening tools, balls of twine … Unlikely as it may seem, the décor of our Potting Shed treatment rooms was inspired by Beatrix Potter’s grumpy gardener, Mr McGregor. It was dreamt up by THE PIG’s former Creative Director, Judy Hutson, whose vision was to “fill the shelves with the sort of things I’d imagine Mr McGregor would have. Oil lamps, vintage bottles, old mugs – and, of course, no shed is complete without a few potted plants. And the massage table is dressed with a big picnic rug.”
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HOT STONE MASSAGE (60 minutes £125, or 90 minutes £170) This deeply indulgent body massage uses aromatherapy oils and volcanic stones to ease stress and improve blood circulation. It is said that one stone movement is equivalent to ten hand movements. Upgrade to 90 minutes to include a facial massage with a specialist oil. BESPOKE MASSAGE (60 minutes £125, or 90 minutes £170) An indulgent personalised experience just for you, crafted by our skilled therapists, using carefully blended natural oils to help your body and mind relax. Upgrade to 90 minutes to include a facial massage with a specialist oil. The following treatments can be enjoyed in our new Treatment Wagon, tucked away in a tranquil corner of the sheep field. We are unable to take two bookings for these treatments at the same time.
SALT GLOW EXFOLIATION & MASSAGE (60 minutes £125) A deep full-body exfoliation and massage using Himalayan pink salt and natural white sea salts to refine and smooth your skin. After showering, your treatment finishes with a nourishing oil massage. MUSCLE RECOVERY WRAP (90 minutes £135) Our customised body wrap harnesses magnesium and turmeric to improve sleep and reduce muscle pain. An anti-inflammatory lavender mask is applied to the body while your therapist gives you a relaxing foot massage. DIGEST & DETOX WRAP (90 minutes £135) This treatment begins with a superfood body brush, followed by a body mask to reduce inflammation and stimulate collagen production, and a reflexology-inspired foot massage. Finish with a nourishing oil massage.
Scan for the full treatment menu
The accidental baker
BREAD WINNER: GILDA BAKERY FOUNDER JON WARREN (BELOW)
Many of us tried making sourdough in lockdown. But for the founder of Gilda Bakery – whose bread and buns we love here at THE PIG – it was the start of a life-changing adventure SO MANY PEOPLE STARTED BAKING their own sourdough during the Covid lockdowns that, together with mastering Zoom meetings, breadmaking became a defining cliché of the era. The difference for Jon Warren – who had recently moved back to his native Kent after working in food tours and hospitality in San Sebastian, Spain – is that his amateur breadmaking was so well received, it became a new career. “I’ve always loved that moment when you hand someone something that you’ve made with your own hands,” says Jon, whose business, Gilda Bakery, is based in Bishopsbourne, in an area of outstanding natural beauty close to THE PIG-at Bridge Place. “I was just making sourdough at home for friends and family, and neighbours would say, ‘Can I have an extra loaf, and I’ll pay for it?’ I realised it could be a business. I started baking bread in our kitchen. By 2021, I had Macknade – which has a food hall in Faversham, and had been one of my customers in my food-industry work in Spain – saying they would like to take an order from me every day. Suddenly, wow, I’m a baker.” These days, the business has grown to the point that Jon no longer bakes himself, but oversees a busy in-house team. Gilda’s bread and baked goods are sold at Kent food markets, including on Folkestone’s Harbour Arm, and to wholesale clients. Customers THE PIG-AT BRIDGE PL ACE \ HOGWASH \ AUTUMN / WINTER
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“I realised it could be a business. Suddenly, wow, I’m a baker” can also buy or tuck into them on site at the Bishopsbourne HQ. The idyllic countryside location has seen Gilda become a destination bakery, where customers drop in to refuel on buns and croissants, or stock up on bread and treats to take home. Many customers are long-standing fans. “There are people who regularly drive quite some distance just to reach us, which is wonderful,” says Jon. You’ll also find Gilda’s seeded sourdough, classic country sourdough, croissants and cinnamon buns (see right for more details) served at THE PIG-at Bridge Place. “The team from THE PIG were supportive from day one – actually, from before we even opened,” says Jon. “We’re one of the closest businesses to them, and some of the kitchen team came to meet us and to try samples. We developed a PIG cinnamon bun.” Gilda Bakery deliberately doesn’t serve coffee, so as not to compete with its friendly next-door neighbour. “Here on Frog Lane, we are next to a great tearoom, fittingly called Tadpole Tearoom,” says Jon. “We often get visitors who are guests of THE PIG-at Bridge Place come over to visit us both.” Our PIG is less than a five-minute drive or a 20-minute walk away from the bakery, and, Jon adds, “There’s also a way to reach us via a lovely circular countryside walk of 30 to 40 minutes through Bourne Park.” As for the name? Jon explains that “gilda” is an old English word for golden, evoking the perfect shade for a loaf of artisanal bread. He also liked the association with the classic gilda tapas dish in his former home, San Sebastian, where he met his wife, Nicole. Although its three ingredients – olive, salted anchovy and pickled chilli pepper – aren’t ones you’ll find anywhere near a cinnamon bun, it is the ethos that appealed. “It’s just something that’s so symbolic of that food culture that I loved in Spain – very few, simple ingredients of great quality,” says Jon. “A bit like sourdough, with just flour, water, salt and natural yeast. It resonated for me.” Try Gilda Bakery’s bread, buns and more at THE PIG-at Bridge Place. Gilda Bakery in Bishopsbourne is open Tuesday to Sunday; gildabakery.com
A bun just for PIG guests “We have a PIG cinnamon bun that we created in collaboration with the team at THE PIG-at Bridge Place,” says Jon. “These are latticed by hand, so they have cinnamon butter running through them. Then they are baked in a metal ring to keep the shape as they rise, while the top is more free-form. Finally, they are rolled in cinnamon and sugar. When you open one up, it’s lovely and moist because it’s been lightly steamed in the bake.” Jon has also modified the buns to suit our guests. “For the breakfast selection at THE PIG, we also made a smaller-sized 70g bun that we don’t sell elsewhere.” According to Reception Manager Camilla Sloan, “Gilda Bakery cinnamon buns are enough to turn anyone into a morning person. Many of our guests visit Gilda to stock up on their incredible pastries and breads to keep them going on day trips. Our receptionist Poppy swears by the curry brioche buns and says that ‘No good day is complete without one!’”
IF YOU ONLY HAVE ... ☞ 3 minutes
Can you spot the vault in the wall of our cosy Upper Snug? This area was the previous owner’s private residence when Bridge Place was a nightclub – and the vault is where he stored his cash!
☞ 30 minutes
Got time for a quick bite? Take a peek at our afternoon menu. Our zero-mile garlic mushrooms on toast is a guest favourite.
☞ 3 hours
Pay a visit to our friends at Simpsons’ Wine Estate, just four miles down the road. We’re big fans of their English sparkling fizz – which is why you’ll always find it on our menus.
GET EXPLORING... From the loveliest bike rides to the best local pubs, we love to share our local intel. See our curated list online and ask at reception for our map of local walks.
RISING STAR: GILDA BAKERY IS A FAVOURITE ON THE BUZZING KENT FOODIE SCENE – AND ON THE BREAKFAST TABLE AT THE PIG (BELOW )
QR codes you’ll want to scan Go straight to Things to Do on our website
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Download two of our favourite walking routes
F RI E NDS OF T H E PIG
RATION.L’S FOUNDER , KAVITA BASI, AND A SELECTION OF THE BRAND’S VEGAN, GENDER-NEUTRAL FOOTWEAR
Training season When Kavita Basi applied her fashion-industry experience to start sustainable trainer brand Ration.L, she rewrote the rulebook IN 2015, KAVITA BASI SURVIVED a life-threatening brain haemorrhage. Having done so, she felt compelled to finally pursue her business ambitions wholeheartedly. She wanted to put the professional skills she had gained from nearly 30 years in the fashion industry into action, but in pursuit of her own vision. “For decades, I had felt interested in the idea of creating more opportunities for sustainable fashion, including how factories in other parts of the world are run and how they affect the communities around them,” says Kavita, who is based just outside Manchester. “I was talking to people in the industry 20 years ago about the idea of making products from recycled plastic or organic cotton, and they would just look at me like I was mad and say, ‘But who are you going to sell this to?’” After her recovery from the unexpected health crisis, which included having to learn to walk again, Kavita felt ready to be brave. “After being lucky enough to survive my subarachnoid brain haemorrhage, I had to start over, so I just thought, ‘Now is the time.’ I had a huge mental and physical shift, and this feeling that I really wanted to put my own stamp on things. I left a big, well-paid corporate job and said to my husband, ‘I want to just do something on my own.’” Today, Ration.L, the chic sustainable trainer brand that Kavita founded in 2020 as part of her business ventures, is in high demand. (In 2022, the Telegraph named her as one of its 100 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch.) The shoes have an understated aesthetic and the brand has earned B Corp certification for its strong ethical and environmental credentials. Most sales are made online, directly from the brand’s small, independent team – Kavita’s husband, Deepak, has been involved from
the start and the couple’s daughter Jasmine now heads up marketing – to customers in the UK, Europe and America. Ration.L trainers are sold in physical stores, too, from London’s Oxford Street, where you can pick up a pair in John Lewis, to LA’s Melrose Avenue. You will also spot them on the feet of our teams across THE PIGs. “The kitchen and cleaning teams wear our R-Kind Vegan Astra Green Trainer [pictured top right],” says Kavita. “It’s made in non-toxic polyurethane fabric, which, unlike plastic, is kind to the environment, and we use vegetable dyes. Laces are organic cotton, with eyelets in recycled aluminium. We put a lot of thought into every detail.” Our front-of-house teams don’t miss out, either, sporting the brand’s first canvas trainer in a forgiving shade of navy. What do hospitality teams, who are on their feet more than most, demand from a trainer? “Comfort is obviously vital, but I’ve also had good feedback on the fact that the trainers are relatively splash-proof and easy to keep looking good. With THE PIGs, our environmental values really align. I am careful about who I partner with, and so are they.” Beyond the green credentials, Kavita has taken a holistic approach to making sure the brand feels accessible. This includes the decisions to make the trainers gender-neutral and to include pull-on styles without laces. Compared to other trainers of similar look and feel, the pricing is also competitive, typically at about £70 a pair. “Ultimately, people want to look good and feel good,” says Kavita “We want to make a product that makes people’s feet happy.” Look out for Ration.L trainers on the feet of our PIG team members, and at rationl.co.uk
“Laces are organic cotton, with eyelets in recycled aluminium. We put a lot of thought into every detail”
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Smokin’ Bloody Mary Serves 1 • 50ml Sapling Vodka • 30ml spice mix (recipe below – you can vary this depending on how hot you like it) • 5ml apple cider vinegar (we use
To make the spice mix, place all the ingredients in a large bowl, give it a good stir, cover and leave to sit in the fridge overnight. In the morning, sieve into a large jar or bottle to remove any solids.
Willy’s) • 250ml good-quality tomato juice For the spice mix (makes enough for 10-20 Bloody Marys) • 250ml Worcestershire sauce • 5½ tablespoons horseradish sauce • 4 tablespoons English mustard
For the Bloody Mary, stir all the ingredients together in a tall glass until thoroughly mixed, then add a few ice cubes. Some prefer a shaken version of this classic, which also works well. Garnish with a herb sprig and finish off with salt and pepper, to taste.
• 20 dashes Tabasco • 35ml lemon juice • herbs (thyme, rosemary, bay, tarragon) • salt and pepper
What to drink with this dish…
Learn how to rustle up even more of our simple PIG classics by watching our YouTube series “PIG Tales” – visit youtube.com/ @ThePigHotel/videos
Our PIG Group Beverage Director, Luke Harbor, recommends three perfect pairings for this comforting pie
Domaine Hugo Single Vineyard Brut Nature, Wiltshire 2020 A benchmark for English biodynamic fizz, this elegant bottle of bubbles shows toasty brioche and shortcrust pastry layers with finesse.
PAX Buddha’s Dharma Vineyard Chenin Blanc, Mendocino County, California 2017 This wine has a fun mix of aromatics and structure. Foot-trodden for added depth and aged in neutral oak, it expresses classic chenin blanc character: beeswax, crushed wildflowers, wet stone and a savoury hint of white pepper. A beautiful counterpoint to the earthy sweetness of roasted root vegetables.
Cascina delle Rose Barbera d’Alba DOC, Piemonte, Italy 2021 Aged for 15 months in Slavonian oak casks, this barbera is lively yet grounded, showing deep ruby hues and bursting with pure red berry fruit. The wine’s energy and precision balance the richness of the pie, while its subtle spice and high-toned fruit complement the caramelised edges of roasted roots.
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Spicy garden root pie It probably hasn’t escaped your notice that we love a good pie at THE PIG. But this one is slightly different from the meaty ones we usually serve – it’s packed with veg from the Kitchen Garden, so it’s light and wholesome, and it’s made without dairy. The vegetable filling can be adapted to what’s in season, but this mix, with the celeriac setting off the spinach and chard, is a firm favourite. Don’t hold back on the spices – they’re what help to make it so tasty. This one’s even been known to convert the odd meathead!
Serves 4–6 You’ll need a 22cm x 26cm pie dish or 6 individual 16cm pie dishes
• 1 tablespoon mild curry powder • ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
• ½ teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 large white onion, diced
• salt and pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 x 400g tin chopped
• 1 celeriac, peeled and diced
tomatoes
(you want to end up with
• 120g fresh spinach
600g flesh)
• 120g chard
• 3 large carrots, diced • 4 medium sticks celery, diced
• 320g puff pastry (shop-bought is fine) • 1 large egg yolk
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sweat the onion and garlic without colouring. Once it’s fully softened, add the celeriac, carrot and celery. Cook until everything has softened, add the spices, salt and pepper, then cook for a few minutes more. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes – you may need to add a splash of water here. Taste the mix and, if you’re happy with the seasoning, add the spinach and chard – this will only need a minute to cook, so take care not to overdo it. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Heat your oven to 200C, or 180C with fan (400F; Gas Mark 6). Fill your pie dish (or dishes, if you are using individual ones) with the vegetable mix. Roll out the pastry to fit your dish(es). Brush the inside edge of your dish(es) with egg wash, then place the pastry on top, pinching it around the edge to seal. Using a pastry brush, egg-wash the lid well – this will give the pastry a nice glaze when it’s cooked. Poke a hole in the middle to allow the steam to escape. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
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CA R I NG A ND CONSI DE R E D HOSP I TALI T Y AT HEART, THE PIGs are restaurants with rooms where everything starts with the Kitchen Garden. Our gardeners and chefs work hand in hand to create menus brimful of the freshest seasonal flavours. What we can’t grow ourselves, we source from our local heroes – the best farmers, fishermen and foragers we know, who are the foundation of our 25 mile menu. We are obsessive recyclers and restorers: from vintage fabrics and china to DIY on-site smokeries and upcycled chicken sheds, we love anything homemade and ultra-local. Each of our PIGs is totally different – we always go with the grain of the place, taking our lead from the spirit of the building to create somewhere that feels lived in and well loved. The bedrooms are pretty comfy, too! Rooted in some of the most stunning parts of the English countryside, the places that we are lucky enough to call home are pretty special – with endless things to do and see, tight-knit communities and loads of talent all around. It’s important to us to play a positive role, whether it’s providing employment, sourcing local ingredients, forging links with nearby schools and charities, or simply being the go-to place for our neighbours to celebrate their special moments. It’s a privilege to work so collaboratively with all of these local heroes that we count as friends and to play our part in these strong, supportive local communities. Our PIG people are what really make us tick. We believe that our team of almost 1,000 talented professionals working across the hotels – chefs, kitchen gardeners, waiters, sommeliers, bar staff, housekeepers and everyone behind the scenes – is helping to shape the future of caring and considered hospitality. From the newest apprentice to the most experienced manager, they are what make THE PIGs a happy place to be and the reason our guests enjoy their time with us. We couldn’t be more proud of them – and you couldn’t be more welcome here! 14
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CHILD’S PL AY: OUR HEAD CHEF AT THE PIG-AT BRIDGE PL ACE LOVED THIS THANK YOU CARD
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Megan Walters Our Kitchen Gardener at THE PIG-at Combe on organic planting and her charity work in Uganda I REALLY GOT INTO GARDENING when I was living in London. Before moving to Combe to join THE PIG team, I had trained in gardening, including with a Royal Horticultural Society Level 3 course. I also undertook practical experience across the UK with World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. THE PIG’s emphasis on organic gardening and sustainability really appealed to me. EVERY MORNING, WE HAVE A LIST that the chefs have provided the night before, of which ingredients they need from the garden. There’s always plenty to harvest, even in the autumn and winter months, when we grow kale, lettuce and other winter salad. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES of organic gardening is the sheer amount of weeding, which we do by hand. In Combe, we also need to protect our plants from the local pheasants, which would happily eat a lot of them. We use netting to protect the plants they like best, such as kale.
Better than school dinners OUR PIG TEAM S REGULARLY VOLUNTEER at schools in their primary local areas, to he lp deliver the Ad School program opt a me from The Ro yal Academy of Arts. Culinary
Adopt a School helps children to learn healthy ea habits and enco ting urages enthusia sm for cooking, as an understandin well as g of the proven ance and sustai different foods. nability of “At THE PIG in the New Forest , we run our Ad School program opt a me at Brockenh ur st Primary,” says H Chef Alex Prou ead dman. “It helps to give children education oppo so m e fo od rtunities they m ight not otherw home or at scho ise ha ve at ol – and the activ ities are a lot of made bread with fun. We one class, for ex ample, includin how it can be m g showing ade in a way that is gluten-free or for different alle suitable rgy sufferers. W e always bring al different kinds on g many of fruit and vegg ies, to show kids variety of what’s th e sheer available – drag on fruit always down very well!” goes Learn more at ro
yalacademyofculin
IT’S REWARDING TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME outside and to do hands-on work where you put skills into action and see results from applying your knowledge. In the winter, I will be out pruning apple trees and pear trees in all weathers. With the right clothing, you can be outside year-round – that feels empowering somehow. ALONGSIDE MY GARDENING CAREER, I’m passionate about the educational charity that I founded with my husband and three Ugandan friends. In 2011, after visiting Katanga, an area of the Ugandan capital, Kampala, we founded Hope for Life Katanga. We provide teaching to help children take the test they need to pass to attend school and match them with sponsors to support their education. OUR CHARITY ALSO SUPPORTS young women to be coached in skills that help them to enter the workforce. Some have been able to put their own children through school as a result. It’s great seeing that ripple effect. THE PIG-at Combe has been really supportive – it gave us the proceeds of a staff raffle towards our work. It’s a place where I feel we all share the same values, of sustainability and making a difference. hopeforlifekatanga.com
aryarts.org.uk/ab
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TIRPITZ, THE SEAFARING PIG
Spotter’s guide: redwing Among the most recognisable birds to land in the UK for winter, the redwing has a namesake red patch beneath its wing. Not sure if you’ve seen one? Other features include a brown back, a cream chest and a white eye stripe. According to the RSPB, the birds migrate here from Scandinavia, usually from late September, and feast on hawthorn, holly and rowan berries, as well as worms. To help support bird life, we have installed more than 150 nesting boxes across our PIGs. This PIG is set in a national park and
HOLD THE BACK PAGE
BEFORE IT WAS A PIG...
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occupies a house that dates from the 1770s. Beyond the Georgian main house, rooms include traditional Sussex stable yard buildings clad in brick, flint and timber. Which PIG is it? A) THE PIG in the New Forest B) THE PIG-in the South Downs C) THE PIG-near Bath
[Answer on page 3]
As a matter of fact
THE PIG IN NUMBERS...
24,000
An hour’s drive from THE PIG-on the beach, The Hell Stone in Dorset is a “squat, crab-like neolithic table”, writes Tom Howells in the 2025 book Ancient Britain for Modern Folk. But which 1860s event changed the appearance of this ancient landmark? a) It was damaged by a bomb b) It was put back together, incorrectly, after falling down c) It was taken apart and moved to London, then returned [Answer on page 3]
PIG HACKS NO. 7 Vintage sari LAMPSHADES Translucent and colourful, old sari material makes unique lampshades. We get ours from Samarkand Design.
When they searched the wreckage of a scuttled German warship off Robinson Crusoe Island in 1915, British naval officers discovered a pig swimming in the waters, along with “chairs, hammocks … and a cask of red wine undamaged by its immersion in the sea”. The pig was given a new home aboard HMS Glasgow and named Tirpitz, in an ironic nod to a German navy admiral. Regarded as having “defected” to the British cause, she was treated as a beloved mascot. Tirpitz found a new home at the Royal Navy’s training facility in Portsmouth Harbour in 1916. After her death, her head was displayed at the Imperial War Museum in London, where it remains today.
... find out more here
hours of training clocked up by our PIG people in 2024
120,000 plastic toiletry bottles saved from wastage by using refillable glass bottles across our PIG bedrooms over the year
740
kg of homegrown grapes in 2024 from our vineyard at THE PIG-in the South Downs
Designed and edited by Uncommonly, 30 - 32 Tabard Street, London SE1 4JU (uncommonly.co.uk). Printed in East Sussex by Pureprint, a CarbonNeutral ® Company. The paper is carbon balanced with the World Land Trust, an international conservation charity. With special thanks to all of our partners and those in THE PIG team that have contributed to this issue.
OVER AND OUT HOGWA SH \ AUTUMN/ WINTER