River Cottage

Coordinates: 50°46′59″N 2°45′04″W / 50.783°N 2.751°W / 50.783; -2.751 River Cottage HQ is based on the Devon / Dorset border near Axminster and is home to an award-winning Cookery School, a state of the art Chefs' School, unique dining experiences, events and weddings. The name is also used as a brand for some of Fearnley-Whittingstall's business ventures, including restaurants and products such as beer and yoghurt. The original River Cottage was a former weekend and holiday home, originally a game-keeper's lodge in the grounds of Slape Manor, Netherbury, Dorset. Both locations have featured in a number of television series presented by television chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Television series

The River Cottage kitchen garden and farmhouse.

From 1998 it was used by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall as a setting for three television series: Escape to River Cottage, Return to River Cottage and River Cottage Forever, in which viewers follow Hugh's adventures as a downsized smallholder. The River Cottage brand left the holiday home to follow Hugh's progress as he set up a new business from old dairy buildings near Broadoak, Bridport, Dorset in the later series Beyond River Cottage. In September 2006, the show would leave those buildings, then known as River Cottage H.Q., to move on to the Park Farm location near to Uplyme in Devon. Here at the new River Cottage H.Q., the team would film the 2006 series The River Cottage Treatment where Hugh would attempt to convert junk food lovers' eating habits. The 2007 series, River Cottage: Gone Fishing, saw Hugh travel to fishing locations throughout the British Isles in order to promote the culinary benefits of sustainable fishing cultures. An additional series, The View from River Cottage, was a combination clip show and retrospective of the previous series.

In 2008, Channel 4 began broadcasting River Cottage Spring,^[1] later followed up by River Cottage Autumn, which shows Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall using home-grown produce in recipes. The series also tracks a group of families in Bristol who attempt to convert a large bramble patch into a small-holding, now known as Bramble Farm, growing vegetables, and rearing meat.^[2] A five episode series River Cottage: Summer's Here began airing in June 2009.

On 12 November 2009 a new series of four episodes started at 8pm on Channel 4, titled River Cottage - Winter's on the Way. In 2011 he made a series River Cottage Veg about vegetarian cookery.^[3]

In July 2012, a new three-part series began on Channel 4, titled River Cottage: Three Go Mad. Hugh was joined at Park Farm by three celebrities who wished to increase their knowledge on where their food comes from and how it gets from farm/sea to plate.

Other business ventures

River Cottage Canteen and Deli, Axminster

The River Cottage team has opened a Canteen and Deli in Trinity Square, Axminster, in a building that formerly housed the town's ballroom,^[4] a local produce shop and informal restaurant. In November 2011, a second Canteen and Deli was opened in Plymouth, in the historic Royal William Yard and a third canteen was opened in Bristol in March 2013.^[5] A fourth canteen opened in Winchester, in September 2014.^[6]

In early February 2012, River Cottage's events barn was largely destroyed by a fire.^[7] It has since been rebuilt.^[8]

DVD releases

These DVDs are distributed by Channel 4 DVD.

References

External links

• The River Cottage - contains recipes, news and features.
• River Cottage at Channel 4 - contains information on all shows.
• Beyond River Cottage at TV.com
• The Internet Movie Database