What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 5pm

The Garden Chef

Name: The Garden Chef
Address: East Grinstead, RH194QS, GB
Telephone: +441342811706
Price range: $$
Rating: 5

www.thegardenchef.net Fresh and fabulous catering company in Sussex From our Grade five based kitchens we supply fresh, fabulous home made food for your event.
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From small lunches for friends to weddings for Earls we will make your occasion extra special.

19/06/2024

We’ve had lots of interest and questions about our brunches so here’s some answers and a bit about us!

Brunches are all which is on the Chiddinglye estate just outside West Hoathly and Ardingly. It’s where we are lucky enough to call home and where I’ve had my base for 13 years. 7 years ago my husband Jeremy began Missing Link Brewing and 5 years ago we converted a couple of the old farm buildings into The Tap Room. I wasn’t really involved in the brewery and the Tap Room was meant originally to be a tasting room for the beers and to be a venue for beer events and such like. Then Covid hit and most of you know the rest! I opened as a shop and added in brownies and picnics and cakes and doughnuts and then the food trucks and ice cream vans just trying to make the best of the space we had and share it with others who’d lost their ability to trade too. The Field was added on at this time and then after Covid the food element has remained and grown. Roast clubs have been hugely popular as have pie nights and brunches so we decided to make them more permanent.
We have created some really beautiful dishes, trying to make them creative and not the standard things you see everywhere. As with everything we do the ingredients are fresh and local.

Brunches are now Fridays 10 to 2 Saturdays 10 to 12 and Sundays 10 to 12 there are days I can’t be here though so do check socials and drop an email to [email protected] to book.

17/06/2024

We had a wonderful Fathers Day, the sun just about managed to stay out, we only lost a few to the bikes and this smoked salmon and spinach French toast crumpet doused in home made hollandaise was the popular choice and of course the big breakfast. 120 people fed and lots of happy dads.
Brunch is on this Friday 10 to 2 and Saturday and Sunday 10 to 12. Book by emailing [email protected]

14/06/2024

We had a great time with this morning taking shots of our brunch dishes. We think they are pretty beautiful already so we can’t wait to see the photos! We are very lucky to have Will who has been a pro food photographer for many years working for the BBC and some pretty famous names too so we are very honoured to have him take pictures of our food ❤️

13/06/2024

Rocky road is going in the fridge ready for the weekend. Packed with home made marshmallow, honeycomb, caramel digestives and brownies, this has been christened rocky motorway by customers!!

11/06/2024

GONE
I’m sure though that when the booking reminders go out we will get more. People grab tables and the. Forget/change their minds especially as this was all booked up months ago.

A table for 4 to 6 has just become available for Father’s Day at 1.30,
Let me know if you’d like it 😊

10/06/2024

BRUNCH IS BACK!!!

The South of England show is done so Tory and I are back in the kitchen making our delicious and pretty brunch dishes. We love making these, some are traditional but we don’t want to be the same as everyone else so we get a bit creative to make dishes that are packed with flavour, colour, fresh herbs and local ingredients.
Our hours are
Friday 10 to 2pm
Saturday 10 to 12
Sunday Sold Out for Fathers Day

We will have a counter full of treats for those special Dads in your life so if he loves great beer, great food and yummy sweet treats you know where to bring him!! Book by message or even better, email [email protected]
You can even really spoil him with a weekend away in one of our gorgeous pods, he can sup beer and eat his sweet treats while sitting on the porch or submerged in the wood fired hot tub which comes with each pod.
Book quick on www.missinglinkglamping.com

06/06/2024

This can only mean one thing…….It’s show time!!!!!

04/06/2024

Crème Brûlée doughnuts, warm from the fryer and filled with creme patisserie, topped with caramelized sugar. These will be back in the counter for Father’s Day

03/06/2024

Lemon drizzle birthday cake for this weekends party .
4 layers of zesty lemon cake filled with home made lemon curd and lemon buttercream ❤️

02/06/2024

Doughnuts for the Tap Room today. A lovely chilled day in the sunshine before the madness of next week. We will be up at the Showground doing over 300 lunches and breakfasts each day for the three days of the show. It’s the only big scale job I do and much as I love the Showground and the smaller shows this is a lot of work!! I can’t make everything for this so I do cheat with some pastry cases and ready made dressings but the freezer is full of cakes already to go, eclairs and pork, herb and cranberry rolls while all the salads, quiches, chicken dishes will be made this week along with setting up the kitchen over there. I won’t be around until the 18th (I have a few days off after the show and then it’s fully booked here on Father’s Day with 130 for brunch) so I might not answer emails etc.
We have space for brunch on the 15th June and then it will be back every weekend with some fab new dishes and favourites. Book by emailing [email protected]
See you on the other side!!!

30/05/2024

On Saturday we had the pleasure of doing the most wonderfully laid back garden wedding celebration. Lots of very slow cooked lamb (thank you I could just lift the bones out and be left with just beautiful tender meat) with pomegranates, molasses, coriander chutney and salads packed with colour and flavour all with pittas from finished off with cherry and peach parfait ❤️
They were blessed with the weather and best of all, see the last photo for the handsome chap we met on the way home, I really wanted to bring him back with men!!

29/05/2024

We had the most glorious weekend of celebrations. On Sunday we were at the simply stunning .place to celebrate the birthday of the most beautiful 90 year old. It’s always a pleasure to be there and work with their brilliant team.
Canapés, roast beef (which was delicious, thank you ) mini desserts and cheeseboards were all served in the music room. It’s a long way from the kitchen to the music room, not only do we most certainly get our steps in for the day but it can be a challenge keeping food hot.We took my trusty warming cupboard and got the plates super hot so the food arrived hot to the tables. Whatever the problem there is always a solution!! Im really hoping we will be back for her 100th ❤️

27/05/2024

I need scratch and sniff instagram, these just came out of the oven and they smell sooo good!!
Hitting the counter when they’ve cooled and had cream cheese frosting added ❤️❤️

20/05/2024

Sundays Roast Club pudding, chocolate eclairs stuffed with cream and berries 🤤

We have a really super busy time with outside catering coming up so we won’t be Tap Room for a bit. This means no brunches until we return for Fathers Day on the 16th of June. Check in here to see when we will be popping up!

20/05/2024

We had a great last Roast Club yesterday. Don’t worry, we just stop for summer, it gets too hot in the tap room and far too hot in my kitchen for them to be fun for anyone. September dates and through to Christmas will be up in July.
If you’d like any Christmas lunches or suppers for work or for family and friends do get in touch and we can work out a date. I know I can’t believe I’m talking about Christmas either!!

We had some lovely feedback from yesterday, it’s always so nice when people take the time and makes all the hard work worth while to know we are making people happy. We had 5 birthdays yesterday and I love that people think is special enough for their celebrations ❤️

17/05/2024

We are really lucky to have helping us out in the brewery. This means every now and again we get some fab pics of our food and beer, here are a couple from small plates last week.

14/05/2024

Today I was chatting all things funeral, event and wedding. So nice to catch up and have a chat, I don’t get to do it often enough.
I’ve said before how stunning and beautifully created this venue is. There really is no detail that isn’t finished to perfection which means whatever the event your guests will feel truly spoilt and cared for. They are wonderful to work with so I’m really happy to create your perfect menu there (they have an amazing kitchen with everything a caterer could want so no hidden costs to hire equipment in). Get in touch with Gemma to have a look round, I promise you will fall in love (with the venue, not Gemma although she is very lovely 😊)
Did I mention they have a beautiful getting ready room with not just a hot tub but a sauna too??!! Just go and look!

13/05/2024

We had a great Roast Club this week, such a happy vibe, it really does feel like lots of friends and family meeting for Sunday lunch.
That’s how it all started, pre Covid, I wanted to create a space for people to come together and enjoy home made unpretentious food, somewhere everyone ate together, no menu just what was good from my suppliers or I was loving making at the time. Just one sitting, no rush, an afternoon with friends, a chance to catch up and eat great food, drink great beer and just enjoy a roast and relax. Originally I wanted trestle tables with everyone sharing, I thought people could come alone and just join in but Covid put paid to that and the way it’s evolved has stayed. I know occasionally we get the odd person who doesn’t like sharing the cheese board but it’s no different to a buffet and I love that people can eat as much as they like and people from different tables get a chance to chat and mingle.
Anyone who knows me will know I’m a feeder, I get it from my Nanny, our love language is food. Bringing happiness through food is a wonderful thing to be able to call my job and Roast club is one of my favourite ways of doing it.
This weekend is the last one until September and while I will miss them it’s just too unbearably hot in my kitchen to do them. Those dates will be up in July and I’ll post on here first so you get first dibs!

07/05/2024

Last week we had the honour of helping to make very last minute wedding beautiful. With 6 days notice we created a gorgeous garden buffet, the rain held of for this special couple and memories made. So glad we could help.

07/05/2024

I’ve lost my social media mojo a bit the last couple of weeks. Three accounts to keep up gets a bit much but these breakfasts/brunches this morning have bought it back! We love creating these dishes and ‘best breakfast ever’ is what we hear time and again. Available Friday to Sunday ………

07/05/2024

Pretty little cakes the other day. If anyone knows how to permanently connect my insta and fb pages I’d be very grateful. Works on the other accounts!!

29/04/2024

Bottom of the fridge dinners are my favourite. As the name suggests it’s dinners made from all the left over bits in the fridge. This one is fried new potatoes, crispy chorizo, parsley, mint and eggs all topped with spring onions.
Delicious 🤤

28/04/2024

Brilliant brunches this weekend! I’m really enjoying creating fresh new dishes as well as the perennial favourites like the big breakfast, frequently described as the best ever! We are trying to create really delicious dishes that are a bit different to the norm, full of flavour and colour and not the every day avo on toast. Come and try our menu this Friday 10 to 2pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 to 12. DM to book or email [email protected]
We are trying to sort out the on line booking this week so hopefully that will be the main option soon!
Look forward to feeding you soon ❤️

25/04/2024

Coming to to celebrate a birthday? We can make you a cake, whatever you like, chocolate fudge, cheesecake, a cake made of cheese….. let me know what you like and we’ll create the cake 🎂

23/04/2024

From now on I’ll be hand making all the brioche loves we use for brunches, look at this beauty! Swipe for one of the dishes we will be making from it.
A thick slab of brioche soaked in sweetened eggs and cream, griddled in butter until golden and then tossed in cinnamon sugar and topped with crème patisserie, fresh berries and maple syrup. Worth every calorie!!
Brunch this week Friday 19 to 2pm and Saturday 10 to 12.

To book brunch email [email protected], call 07912603097 or dm or message.
All other bookings go to missinglinkglamping.com/taproom

23/04/2024

It was a super busy weekend, 5.30 alarm calls and midnight bed times, hard work but good fun. Obviously I took no photos so here’s the incredible box of cream egg chocolate one of my lovely ladies found me when I thought it was all sold out (have to make it last until next Easter) this weeks brunch menu and Roxanne enjoying the bluebells. I was up at feeding all their lovely stewards and livestock people, staff and judges. I’ve been involved with the Showground on and off for nearly 30 years and something about it keeps me going back! The staff are all great, the volunteers a joy and just the overall excitement of the big shows is always fun. Hard work but worth it.
Back we had a really busy weekend, particularly Saturday with a great group in for a party in the afternoon and as soon as they left it was time to turn the venue around for another great birthday celebration. I left Rachel and the girls to it most of the evening and made cakes for the Cake Counter, I’m loving baking more and everyone seems to be loving the cakes so win win!!
I’m always sorry to disappoint people who want to visit when we have a private event but we are only small and can’t please everyone. We seem to be getting busier and busier which is amazing but it will be good when may comes around and we can get the giant field open and everyone has a bit more space. There is always the thorny issue of children and balancing between the parents desire for them to do as they please and other customers who’ve come for food and drink and don’t appreciate noisy kids. Any ideas on how we balance that much appreciated as I’m all out of ideas, signs and polite requests don’t work!! Only 2 weeks to go, pray for dry weather!!

19/04/2024

Biscoff brownie, just one of the treats on the cake counter this weekend.

Cookie dough brownie
Biscoff brownie
Millionaire Brownie
Victoria sponge
Bakewell Tart
Chocolate and cherry fudge cake
And Sunday rhubarb and strawberry polenta cake .

All with fantastic beer and epic burgers from

19/04/2024

It’s been a really busy few days starting on Thursday with a wedding who had a roast club of their very own! Brunches, mini roast clubs and lots and lots of cake and the only photos I managed to take were these!
I’m not doing brunches this weekend as I will be feeding all the stewards and judges, what I really need is a clone. There will still be a fab counter of cakes though.

was

18/04/2024

I have realised that my instagram and Facebook have not been communicating again which is really annoying as many of you know I feel Facebook is much more of a community than Instagram which just seems to be about pretty pictures.
I’ve been updating about the cafe. I’ve had to decide that doing the lunches and weekdays was just too much, staff was a real struggle and it was detracting from the Tap Room being a Tap Room which it decidedly is, it was never ever meant to be a cafe. So we have decided to just do brunches which I love, I have so many ideas for new dishes, it’s my favourite meal of the day. We will do 10 to 2 on Fridays and 10 to 12 on Saturdays and Sundays. All the favourites like our legendary big breakfast and new favourites like French crumpets with bacon jam, Brie and sausages or hot smoked salmon and avocado on toast with home made hollandaise and deep fried crispy egg.
I’ll also be concentrating more on the cake counter too, adding in a doughnut of the week, more brownie flavours and lots of cakes. I love baking and want to grow that part of the business.
We have a problem with the new booking system so for the moment you can book for brunch on email [email protected], message on here or instagram, or call 07912603097. We’d love to feed you ❤️

17/04/2024

Lots of you will know that I cater a lot of funerals. I have been doing it for 20 years working first with Masters in Lindfield and Gallaghers in Haywards Heath and then over time working for the same families and being recommended by lots of halls and churches like the lovely Tiger Rooms in Lindfield. Over that time not much has changed, funerals have remained church followed by a tea, but recently changes are happening. Weddings have for years now moved on from the standard church service and become a myriad of unique events based on the individuals and we are starting to see funerals following. Saying goodbye can be as special and unique as the person. Funeral directors like Bridee Whyte, Masters and Gallaghers have service rooms where celebrants can conduct services sculpted around the life of your loved one celebrating all they loved. Funeral Directors are really approachable and if you are familiar with one when the time comes that you need them then the whole process can be much less intimidating. Just like anything else find someone you like, they will be with you at one of the hardest points in your life so choose someone who makes you feel comfortable and will ease the process with kindness and friendship. Tracey and Sue at Masters are both trained bereavement councillors and encourage people to pop in after the funeral too if they need to chat or just a little time to reflect. Pop into the super friendly Bridee Whyte and they will even dog sit for you while thou pop into the shops! From my side of things I’ve long learnt new recipes to recreate favourite foods or made canapés because ‘mum was a champagne and canapés kind of girl’ it’s not all sandwiches and scones and can be as fun and personalised as wedding food.
Don’t be frightened of funerals and all that goes with them, get to know your independent funeral directors, seek out the family owned businesses and take out the fear factor. ❤️

Address

East Grinstead
RH194QS

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+441342811706

Website

http://www.thegardenchef.net/

Alerts

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Videos

I’ve made one of my incredible videos, you lucky people!! This one is all about our super tap room for anyone whose not seen it before. It’s all ready to keep you warm and snug while you enjoy awesome food and drink through the winter. This weekend it’s..... Friday @safaripizzaco Saturday @currysquad Sunday Hog Roast Rolls (me!)

I love making curds, it’s quietly therapeutic making something that needs stirring. You can’t do anything else but whisk and listen to the rain outside, a sort of enforced stillness. This one is lemon and orange for a cake tomorrow but I love blackberry, rhubarb, and passion fruit is delicious. They make great fillers for cakes and macaron. The recipe for lemon is below but you can invent your own too. 300 ml lemon juice 6 eggs plus two egg yolks 330g caster sugar 450g butter at room temperature In a large heatproof bowl whisk together everything except the butter Place over a pan of simmering water Whisk for 15 to 20 mins until it becomes very thick and/or reaches 82degree c on a sugar thermometer Remove from the saucepan Add the butter a little at a time whisking after each addition That’s it, easy busy and really yummy, try on toast or over ice cream 😊

Opening hours for the Tap Room and Field Bar @missinglinkbrewing Friday 3.30 to 6pm Saturday 12 to 8pm Sunday 10 to 8pm From 10 for coffee and pastries

And here is another slightly chaotic video where I totally forgot what I wanted to say, I will do another on my own at some stage and chat a bit about the business and the changes we are having to be making. I suddenly thought it’s not things my daughter needs to be worrying about. Anyway what you do get is how to make the best and easiest ever chocolate fudge cake. 175g self raising flour (sieve well) 2tbsp coco powder 1tsp bicarbonate of soda 150g caster sugar 2 eggs beaten 150ml milk 150ml veg or sunflower oil 2tbsp syrup Put all the ingredients in a bowl and either using a stand mixer or a hand whisk whisk until combined. That’s it. I use this to make a small 6 inch cake, for an 8 inch I’d double it. You can use for cup cakes or roulades too. Decorate with buttercream or ganache, go mad, make rainbows or cover in sprinkles. Looking forward to seeing some amazing creations!

You know you’ve missed me! Here is another well rehearsed professional video talking about easter and how you can get more chocolate into your lock down diet! It’s just me waffling again 😂 Nutella stuffed cookie recipe to follow!

The wait is over, it’s here, our latest super professional baking video to brighten your day and ease your isolation! Today it’s Tea Bread, super comforting, super quick and easy to make, I don’t know why the video is so needlessly long 😂 Pics and recipe in the next post.....

Well, I always swore I’d never do a video, but strange times and all that! Here is me making a fool out of myself, filmed by my oldest daughter, just to give you all a laugh in lock down!! PS aid I’m working I wear gloves and a hairnet but these are only going to be eaten by us, plus I couldn’t bear the humiliation of being filmed in a hair net 😂

Action shot! I was going to talk about what I was doing, brides want vibrant colours etc but found I couldn’t speak, film and pipe at the same time 😂! Practice needed!