Pop-up restaurants for Beer and Branscombe
Clarissa Place
Published: 11:36 AM January 20, 2015 Updated: 6:47 PM November 7, 2020
Josh McDonald-Johnson the chef behind Pickle Shack is bringing pop up restaurants to Beer and Branscombe. - Credit: Archant
Branoc Hall will turn into a restaurant for one night as part of a series of pop-up restaurants.
Michelin trained chef Josh McDonald-Johnson will produce a three-course meal for 100 diners. All of the food will come from within ten miles of Branscombe.
Josh said: "The whole idea is to source 80 per cent as a minimum of ingredients within 10 miles of each venue. Every time there are new suppliers for each area.
"You never get the same ingredients twice."
He has contacted local suppliers and businesses ahead of the evening to create the evening's dishes.
Josh said: "We look to do something a bit different. I would like to think you cannot find our dishes in the restaurants and pubs in the local area."
Between courses, he likes to speak to customers about their experience and explain about the products that have been used in the dishes.
The 25-year-old said: "It is important to say where the food comes from; it creates a story of where ingredients have come from."
With ten years of experience, Josh has worked at some of the top Michelin star kitchens around the country, including Michael Caine's restaurant, the two-star Michelin kitchen of The Vineyard and The Holt, in Honiton.
He created his business, Pickle Shack, after seeing how the trend was growing in London.
Josh works with his girlfriend Jodie Sawatzki and brings in freelance chefs and front-of-house staff on the evening.
After their first event sold out at the Honiton Grub Club in July, the business has booked more events up the coast, creating 30 pop-up restaurants in 2014. Their aim is to host 100 events throughout the year, with bookings already in place in Budleigh Salterton and Lyme Regis. The Beer Grub Club will be held on Saturday, February 28.
"I just wanted to bring a bit of alternative dining down to Devon. 2015 is going to be the busiest for Pickle Shack."
The meal costs £23 and will be held at Branoc Hall (the new name for Branscombe Village Hall) on Saturday, February 7, at 7.30pm.
Tickets can be purchased at the Pickle Shack website at http://www.pickleshack.co.uk/events/