Table to Farm

Introducing our new growing sessions for people who want to know more about the ingredients they are using.

It’s been an idea that we’ve been chucking around for a while. Most chefs know it’s the ingredients we use that makes the best food. We’ve been learning how to grow food for over 10 years now and the interest in learning to grow from chefs seems to be growing too.

It finally feels like the right time to start a programme dedicated to growing really delicious food. It also feels like a really nice opportunity to bring the hospitality sector together away from work and in a nice space, especially when times a pretty tough and we all need a bit of time to restore.

Table to Farm is our new series of food growing sessions, specially for the wonderful world of hospitality.

Chefs, cooks, barista, bartenders, managers, waiters, new and old.  This new project is for anyone who is interested in digging a bit deeper into growing specifically to eat (or drink).

We will be taking over the old Kitchen Farming Project Plot which has been allocated to a number of incredible chefs over the years; Joe Otway of Higher Ground, Issy Jenkins of Isca and Lorcan Khan, WTLGI and Etta all have joined us over the years to grow food to cook with in their restaurants and pop ups.  And of course our own talented chefs of MUD Kitchen who make some of the best food we’ve honestly ever tasted, all made with the produce we’ve grown at Platt Fields Market Garden.

The plot has been used for other food growing projects too, like our Stronger Roots programme where we grew culturally appropriate food for refugees and asylum seekers new to the area.

Now, the plot lies empty and our chefs are keen to get out there and learn to grow themselves, to understand the process of where such beautiful ingredients come from and what makes them taste so much better when grown with love and care. 

This is why we’ve decided to launch a brand new series to help and train other keen creatives to learn too. 

There’s a lot to learn about growing food, it can feel overwhelming.  It's not just about how perfect each leaf is when they land on the plate, it’s about choosing the right soil and seeds, knowing the best time to harvest, how to store and even when to transport to get the best flavour, colour and texture.

It’s a science and it’s what we love about growing food. What other parts of this plant can we eat and why, we ask ourselves. Why is a kohlrabi a kohlrabi and purple sprouting broccoli, purple sprouting broccoli? We think asking and understanding these types of questions, plus getting a bit of soil under our fingernails is a recipe for the best chefs in town.

The thing is, it's not just growing to eat. Growing in a community garden does something else. Getting your hands dirty, letting go of what you can't control, meeting others in a similar boat, or totally different one and having conversations. Breathing in the clean fresh air, come rain and shine and seeing your hard work come into fruition at a very different pace than in the kitchen is a mindful practice. 

You will learn the seasons, pay attention to the weather, and understand the world a bit better. 

You’ll stretch your legs, squat, dig, sit, chat. It’s all part of growing together. 

The sessions will be ran by Jo, Mike and Sam of MUD at Platt Fields Market Garden.

Jo, Mike and Sam have been growing food commercially in Manchester for over 9 years. 

HOW THE SESSIONS WORK

£15 per session, or book in blocks of 4 (£60). Book here.

The sessions are to be booked in advance as individuals or by businesses for as many members of their team as they wish.

A block purchase is for 4 weeks which you can start any Tuesday and ideally take as a block of 4 though if you can’t make any weeks that’s ok, you can skip weeks and join later sessions.

We recommend you attend as regularly as possible to make the most out of the programme.