Oakman Group to showcase new kitchen garden at Buckinghamshire pub

The Oakman Group is to showcase the kitchen garden at its Buckinghamshire pub which will supply outlets throughout the group.

The company will unveil its new 1.2-acre kitchen garden in the grounds of The Akeman Inn at Kingswood near Aylesbury at an open day on July 23 and will feature guided tours  led by Gardens & Sustainability manager Philip Jones (pictured above).

The Oakman Group has grown from one to nearly 40 pubs in just under 15 years and employs over 1,500 people.

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Executive chairman of the Oakman Group, Peter Borg-Neal, said: “There’s nothing quite like fresh produce. In time, we hope that the Oakman Kitchen Garden will not only be a valuable and sustainable resource for our restaurants but will eventually develop into a valuable educational and community asset. We believe that by growing our own fruit, herbs and vegetables, we will deepen the relationship between our guests, the environment, and our neighbours. For example, starting at the kitchen's back door, undervalued "waste" such as vegetable peel, coffee grounds or wood ash from the pizza ovens, will be recycled into our compost production."

As well as planting over 500 native trees to create a new woodland margin, and apple and damson orchards, Philip and his team have been quietly working away over the last few months building new beds, paths and poly-tunnels.

The team has been working on enriching the soil over the winter and have created a series of highly productive plots that will allow for rotational planting, propagation, and healthy, sustainable crops for their restaurants.

The growing list includes seasonal fruit, vegetables, salads and herbs ranging from multiple cultivars of cucumber, tomato, beetroot, radish, mint and turnip to French beans, chilli peppers, edible leaves and herbs for seasoning.

The Oakman Group was the first multi-site pub company in the UK to withdraw the supply of single-use plastic straws and cocktail stirrers which has since become law.

Peter Borg-Neal said: "We're investing in what I recognise is a very tiny step, but for a multiple-site pub group like Oakman, I think this is a first. It is so much more than being about food – although, of course, we will be producing our own fresh and superior-tasting produce – but it’s also about reinforcing the connection between our guests and the natural growing cycle through our seasonal menus. As well as re-using our natural waste for composting, the Kitchen Garden will help us to take small steps in reducing our carbon footprint for food sourcing and deliveries. Then, of course, there is the opportunity to create an educational resource to inspire young people to think about growing their own - even if it is just some salad leaves or spuds in an old tub."

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