ingredient. You can’t buy the sort of produce we’re growing here. If we didn’t have the farm we simply wouldn’t be able to buy that quality of ingredient. Simon’s had a farm in Cartmel since 2008 supplying L’Enclume and Rogan and Co. In 2011 with the opening of Roganic we decided to move to a bigger space. We designed it and built it ourselves from scratch over the winter then started growing the following season with the aim to produce near to perfect produce naturally, focusing on improving it’s flavour. We have the ultimate control of our product; we can take the crop at any stage of its life, experiencing them in so many different ways.
You’re not a farmer by trade; how much of a learning curve was that for you? I’d always been interested in growing and had always grown my own shoots and interesting herbs and flowers. From there it was a matter of research; there are a few good books out there. It’s not rocket science; it’s very similar to what we do in the kitchen – a very controlled approach to everything. I think an important part of making it work has been employing chefs, with an interest in growing and a will to learn; you can use that energy, drive and passion that we have as chefs and achieve so much more. That’s the case with Lucia Corbel who now looks after everything at the farm.
A lot of your time is spent at the development kitchen at Aulis. How does development of menus and dishes work there? Simon will take a list of produce from the farm and the wild and then go away and come up with things, that then need to be worked on and developed or we all sit down together and come up with ideas. Me, Simon and Mark Birchall, the head chef at L’Enclume and Michael Englar the pastry chef are all based in Cartmel so we can sit down together and have brainstorming sessions. Most development starts with the produce or ingredient, when it becomes available, so for example when the first carrots are nearly ready to harvest we sit down and look at what we can do with them, drawing on inspiration from previous years or taking things in a new direction. It doesn’t have to be a long, drawn-out process when the product is as good as it is, instead focusing more on developing the technique behind the food.
You said your concern was always with the quality of the ingredients; you must feel like a kid in a sweet shop working for Simon Rogan? Yes, a lot of places grow their own stuff but I think what we’re doing here is another level. Our plan is to grow our own produce in entirety to a level that’s never been seen before and with a level of variety that you can’t find anywhere else. We take great pride in what we do and see ourselves as pioneers of this sort of movement in the UK.
What part of the many roles you play would you say is your favourite? I would have to say equally the kitchen and the farm, It’s an amazing job being able to do both. When you see that seed that you’ve sown turned into a beautiful vegetable because of the way you’ve managed it, then cooking it and serving directly to the guest, it’s an incredible feeling and such a sense of achievement; it doesn’t get any better really.
View Dan's recipe of Raw scallop, Tokyo turnip, anise hyssop and pearl barley here View Dan's recipe of First broad beans with calamint and ox tongue here
