Darren Broom
Master of Fire, Food, and Foraged Flavours
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Darren Broom, the mastermind behind the culinary magic at Pythouse Kitchen Garden, isn't your average chef. He's a fire-wielding artist, a champion of local bounty, and a storyteller through taste.
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For four years, Darren led the kitchen at an organic farm in Cornwall, where self-sufficiency and farm-to-table practices became deeply ingrained in his philosophy. This ethos continues to be the cornerstone of his work at Pythouse.
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Darren isn't just a chef; he works hand-in-hand with the gardeners, ensuring the freshest seasonal food finds it's way onto your plate. Provenance isn't just a buzzword for Darren; it's the very soul of his dishes, and we can vouch for this as he's been very supportive of our work here at Nempnett Pastures, putting our meat on his menu when ever he can.
Darren isn't afraid to push boundaries and try new things. He takes inspiration from the past, reimagining classic dishes with a modern twist. His passion for fermentation, butchery, and preserving techniques adds another layer of intrigue to his kitchen skills.
Put simply Darren is a chef who respects tradition, embraces the wild, and transforms fire into a culinary symphony and we're so lucky to have him cook on our farm for you guys for the very first time, we can't wait!
Josh Eggleton MBE
An innovator for sustainable food and community ​
Josh Eggleton is a celebrated chef and restaurateur from Bristol, known for his commitment to sustainability and modern British cuisine. Raised in South Bristol, his early culinary influences came from his family. He began working in a local fish and chip shop at 15 and later won the prestigious Gordon Ramsay College Scholar competition in 2003. This took him to world-renowned restaurants, including The French Laundry in California and Chanterelle in New York.
In 2006, Josh and his sister Holly took over The Pony & Trap in Chew Magna. The pub earned a Michelin star in 2011, which it held until its closure in 2020. In 2024, after a major renovation, they relaunched it as The Pony Chew Valley, a produce-led restaurant, cookery school, and community hub with kitchen gardens and beehives.
Josh’s other ventures include Salt & Malt, a fish café at Chew Valley Lake, and Root, a vegetable-focused small plates restaurant in Bristol’s Wapping Wharf. He also co-founded Eat Drink Bristol Fashion, promoting sustainable food and ethical sourcing.
A strong advocate for community-driven dining, Josh focuses on local, seasonal ingredients and responsible cooking. Through his restaurants and initiatives, he continues to shape Bristol’s food scene while inspiring the next generation of chefs.
Imke Potgieter
Ubuntu Food.. cooking for the people
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Imke Potgieter is the founder and creative lead behind Ubuntu Food, a fire cooking collective from Bristol.
The African philosophy of Ubuntu underpins their mission to create unique and memorable food experiences that celebrate nature connection and the ceremony of gathering to eat.
Ubuntu Food's menu speaks of seasonality, localised food systems, and uplifts the soul of good food.
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Imke's roots as a chef come from her home kitchen where she spent countless hours learning to cook for her family from her mother and father. With Afrikaans heritage 'the braai' has been an inherent part of her upbringing, sparking an unwavering interest in exploring the history and techniques of fire cooking cultures from around the world. Ubuntu Food's vibrant style pays homage to this with every meal.
With each feast guests are encouraged to come hungry, and expect to leave feeling inspired.