Oscar Holgado is the Head Chef of Michelin Green Starred Coombeshead Farm
Throughout his career, Chef Holgado has been dedicated to redefining the relationship between food and the environment.
His culinary journey led him to Coombeshead Farm in Cornwall, where he has played a pivotal role in transforming it into a sustainable agricultural paradise.
Under his stewardship, Coombeshead Farm has become a model of regenerative farming, known for its closed-loop systems, holistic practices, and commitment to biodiversity.
Coombeshead Farm has 66 acres on site, with a dedicated commitment to leaving the land in its best possible state for future generations. Their long-term vision includes reforestation, restoration, and overall land rejuvenation, making it an exciting yet challenging journey.
This small and diverse farm features a blend of mixed perennial pastures, meadows, and woodlands. The land now hosts a rich diversity of species, reflecting their dedication to biodiversity.
To effectively manage this ecosystem, they have implemented a farmshare program, akin to a cooperative model.
This collaborative approach brings like-minded farmers together to collectively manage inputs and outputs.
The farmshare not
only eases the workload but also fosters knowledge sharing, grants access to markets, and spreads liability and risk among participants. This collaborative effort results in a superior product, an enriching journey, and better pricing for consumers.
Oscar has said, "We grow and rear produce on our 66 acre farm following regenerative agriculture methods, including successional cover crop sewing. We also have a no-dig vegetable garden, use compost from our food waste, and make guest soap out of lard from our pigs."
Oscar Holgado & the Coombeshead Farm team's unwavering commitment to exceptional product quality and meticulous control over its journey to kitchens and shops has always been a top priority.
However, they have evolved their approach in response to the land's needs. In their early years, they focused intensely on producing top-tier pigs, but they recognized the necessity for change.
As they listened more attentively to the land's requirements, they shifted their focus from a single-minded pursuit of porcine excellence to a more holistic approach to farming.
This ongoing openess to change and growing strength in sunstainability has been rewarded with a Michelin Green Star.
