Creative, Seasonal & Sustainable Vegetarian Chef
Sometimes there are things in life that you should say ‘yes’ to without thinking, rationalising or worrying over. With every action we decide to take there is a chance that things could go wrong. But there is also the possibility that it could be amazing. Going to work at In Sabina in 2014 was definitely a decision to be taken quickly before my brain reminded me that I don’t speak Italian, I’m not a natural traveller and two months is a long time to be away from the husband and guinea pigs. But when someone asks if you want to chef at a vegetarian yoga retreat an hour from Rome, it would be ridiculous to say anything but ‘yes’.
Whilst discovering my true creative passion in Italy, I met some wonderful people, Rachel Bonkink being one of them. A yoga teacher who brought several groups to the retreat, I had the pleasure of feeding her and her yogis and as well as following some of her classes (when you could drag me out of the kitchen). She has given me the opportunity to go on and chef with her in other venues around Europe and Morocco, exploring and developing my love of vegetarian cooking.
With a little break from the travelling side of things for a short while to have a baby, I’m looking to continue my creative journey in the future with plans to chef at a monastery in Wales with a local yoga teacher in 2019.
Beth Alexander is one of the most sought-after retreat chefs – cooking on yoga and wellness retreats across the country (and beyond) since 2014. She is also a food writer, grower and recipe developer.
She specialises in championing unsung ingredients, eating more sustainably and inspiring others to think differently around the food they eat. Her dishes are hugely creative with equal importance put on comfort and nostalgia as well as using fresh ingredients that won’t weigh you down.
Retreat Kitchen, her debut cookbook, publishes with Quarto in 2027 and brings the recipes and rituals of a retreat into our own homes.
Magical Witchy Winter Feast by Fire
with Beth The Free Range Chef & Polly from The Jolly Allotment
Saturday 14th November 5.30 - 9pm
Campwell Farm, Nr Bath
£55pp for a 5 course meal
A Fire Supper to Celebrate Winter and the Power of Fire, Friends and Food.
Welcome to the woods, for feasting and mischief!
Come one and all, wrapped up warm and ready for fun and feeding at our magical witchy winter feast at Campwell Farm. We will gather in a clearing surrounded by pine trees and filled with fire pits, fairy lights and a beautiful tipi with log burners and blankets to keep us warm and dry. You will be welcomed with a nourishing broth from Polly and a healing Witch's Brew from Beth before being shown to your seats for a seasonal five course feast. Polly and Beth both thrive on being creative with seasonal gluts, reducing food waste and thinking differently around food and its meaning. You can be sure that ingredients will be sourced thoughtfully and they will take the time to share this journey with you, from passionate producers to your plate. Bring your own tipple of choice and dietary requirements can mostly be catered for with advance notice.
100% Gluten Free and Coeliac Friendly
A menu to bring you the very best of Beth and Polly's most nourishing Cauldron Dishes
Welcome Smoked Onion Healing Broth.
Beth's Witches Brew
Beetroot & Butterbean Smoosh with Beth’s Beloved Sautéed Swede & Smoky Miso Seeds
Caws Tiefi Halloumi with Polly’s famous Smoked Pepper and Heritage Tomato Romesco with Medicinal Pickles.
A Cauldron of Delicious Boozy Mushroom With Creamy Smoked Polenta& A Selection of Seasonal vegetables.
Beth’s Poached Pear with Spiced Mascarpone, Damson Swizzle & Salted Hazelnut Praline.
Jolly Allotment Tea & Sweet Winter Spiced Blondie.
Please note both Polly and Beth both cook the very best of seasonal food sauced from local farms, the menu may change if Nature does not provide everything we have asked it for!
WHEN -Saturday 14th November 26 - 5.30pm - 9pm
WHERE- CAMPWELL Farm, Church Farm, Winsley, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, BA15 2JH
Please note this is a wild woodland super under canvas. SO PLEASE DRESS IN YOUR COSY WINTER WARMERS. There will be fires and blankets and candle light but please be prepared to be immersed in nature.
PARKING: Available on site - There is a magical walk to the woodland so please consider your footwear carefully and bring a head torch if you are scared of the dark.
Accommodation : Please contact Campwell Farm (about accommodation only) discount available for weekend booking if you are attending our events!
https://campwell.co.uk/contact
All other questions please contact
Polly - team@jollyallotment.co.uk or Beth - hello@beththefreerangechef.com
WE GUARANTEE YOU THIS EXPERIENCE WILL BOOST TO YOUR WELLBEING AND FILL YOUR CUP FULL OF LOVE TO READY YOU FOR THE SEASON TO COME.
Before The Free Range Chef, there was Beth’s Bakes and cakes is where it all began. Nowadays it is less sugar craft models of Newquay harbour and more natural, seasonal creations. I offer creative designs and intriguing flavours inspired by nature, avoiding any unnatural ingredients and a unique quirkiness and whimsy of my own.
All celebrations are catered for and I offer options for dietary requirements including vegan and gluten free.
I usually need at least 1 months notice.
I will soon be sharing more of my recipes through my website but for now please sign up to my newsletter for recipes & rambling, buy a copy of my ebook with many classic recipes from the past few years and pre order my brand spanking new cook book published by Quarto and out February 4th 2027!
From the Retreats…
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wonderful retreat chef whose smile and energy fills our kitchen from the moment she arrives. Always happy to host her at our place in the Belgian Ardennes.”
” It is so hard to choose favourite dishes because there wasn’t one I didn’t love. In N.Y we are surrounded by Italian restaurants but your Parmigiana Melanzane was the best I ever had!”
” I just love your food. Please can I take you home?! I never imagined that vegetarian food could be so great.”
” Thank you so much for making non-dairy food non-boring. I really appreciated all the variety you gave us all and also the inclusiveness of making non dairy/non gluten food and desserts.”
” It was healthy but very very tasty. Every day another meal, inspired by another country. And your singing, your passion and the colours of the food made it complete.”
” Beth, I’ve had the best week of food ever and have looked forward to every one of your culinary delights. You are like a fairy with all your sprinklings of goji berries, nuts and chia seeds.”
“Your food is amazing. Don’t you ever stop cooking!”
For Cakes & Sweet Treats…
This is a big thank you for the macaroons you provided for my wedding. They were delicious, looked so so good and were a huge hit! So many compliments and wanted to pass them on to you.
Beth makes THE most delicious cakes with the best ingredients! I have ordered a number of cakes, including my daughters fabulous christening cake, which tasted divine and everyone loved! Beth also has incredible customer service and will always go above and beyond!
Beth made the most incredible traditional white wedding cake for me. I could honestly not have been more delighted!
I got married at Bath Abbey, during which Beth worked diligently and swiftly with the florist to set up the cake at the reception venue. When I arrived I was stunned by how perfect it was. Just so clean cut, classic and superbly decorated. Exactly everything I had hoped for.
Most importantly, it tasted divine! I am gluten intolerant and the fruit cake Beth made had the most incredible flavour and so moist. The cake didn’t fall apart when it was cut, and the icing wasn’t too thick. My friends and family couldn’t believe it was gluten free.
Considering how popular it was, the cake was never-ending. For such reasonable prices, the size and quality of this wedding cake was not compromised one iota. I’m very grateful to Beth for her fabulous and friendly service.
For Wedding Catering…
Thank you again to you and your team for providing such superb foodand brilliant service on our wedding day – we can’t thank you enough! It ran so smoothly and all the staff were extremely helpful, goingabove and beyond for our guests. We are really happy with how theday went and everyone commented on how amazing the food was; best food they’d had at a wedding, such nice vegan food, expectingbuffet food to be sausage rolls etc and so pleased that it wasn’t, but instead something different and very yummy.Dave and I are so so glad my mum poked her head through the windowlast summer to say hello!
Jessica & Dave May 2018
From the outset, Beth was totally on board with our 1970s retro festival wedding vision and designed a funky menu to suit. Beth was a breeze to work with and the food tasting session she did for us was incredible, so much so that we asked her to make our wedding cake too! For the day itself, we were astounded by how she catered for 130x guests plus present a trio of stunning wedding cakes in what was one of the hottest week’s on record! The quality of the food was excellent and all tasted delicious. Beth and her catering team worked so hard on the day and went above and beyond for our wedding. We couldn’t recommend her more - a very talented lady. Thank you Beth.
Lou & Rob July 2019
