At The Syndicate Kitchen we want to celebrate the bonds people can create around food. We are extremely fortunate in the United Kingdom, especially in Sussex, to be blessed with an abundance of seasonal ingredients available from the land and sea. There are also huge number of extremely talented craftspeople who share our passion for great food. Working closely together with them and the producers who farm and fish locally, we create events that are as unique as the people behind them.
BUTLERS WINE CELLAR
A Brighton institution, Butler's Wine Cellar is our go-to wine supplier for all of our events. Now run by the dream team of Henry Butler and Cassie Gould, Butler's first opened their doors in 1979 with Henry’s parents at the helm. As a result, it is Brighton’s oldest independent wine retailer.
Henry and Cassie have an incredible range of artisan wines and spirits sourced from all over the world. Their knowledge, together with their lovely team, is seriously extensive and they are always very happy to recommend gems that pair perfectly with our dishes.
BNFS
Brighton & Newhaven Fish Sales (BNFS for short) are the go-to fish supplier for most Sussex restaurants. Off the coast here in Sussex, they are able to catch Dover Sole, Plaice, Lemon Sole, Brill, Turbot, Cod, Cuttlefish, Black Bream, Sea Bass and Scallops, as well as loads of other amazing seafood.
BNFS’ team of fisherman land their catch within hours to ensure the fish is of the highest quality. They know the best places to find the finest seasonal fish and shellfish. They also work closely with local authorities to ensure everything they catch is sustainably fished.
WISTON
ESTATE
Wiston Estate is an English Sparkling Wine producer very close to my and my wife’s hearts. Nestled in the heart of the South Downs, near Steyning, it is our favourite local vineyard. Producing stunning wines, it’s one of the reasons why we moved back to Sussex so that my wife could join the team there.
Owned by the Goring family since 1743, they planted their vineyard on a chalk escarpment in 2006 and since then Wiston has gone from strength to strength. Their award-winning sparklers are extremely pure and pair beautifully with food.
BARFIELDS BUTCHERS
Just off of Fiveways in Brighton you will find Barfields Butchers. Will and his knowledgable team source the finest naturally-reared meat from small farms within Sussex and nearby counties, who place animal welfare at the very heart of what they do.
Traditional cutting methods are core to their butchery and unlike many butchers these days, they work exclusively with whole carcasses which means they are able to provide us with any cut we need. We prefer to use the less sexy cuts (like hearts and heads), which many butchers would simply bin.
SADDLESCOMBE FARM
Run by the lovely Camilla and Roly, Saddlescombe is located in the heart of the South Downs and is home to 300 breeding ewes, lots of lambs, wildlife and their sheepdogs, Belle and Fly.
Camilla and Roly's sheep lamb in April, grazing on their beautiful chalk grasslands - without them, the diverse Sussex countryside would simply not be the same. Saddlescombe also rear the occasional cow and the meat from their cattle is of just as great quality as their sheep. Every animal is hand-reared and this care and attention shines through into their produce.
ARUNDEL
BREWERY
Samantha and Stuart Walker took over the well-established Arundel Brewery in 2014 looking to progress and innovate beer production in and around Sussex, producing beers "armed with taste" like their critically acclaimed Dragonfly DIPA. Samantha and Stuart also feel passionate about not forgetting their heritage, so continue to also offer the classic range.
In 2019 they opened The Brewhouse Project, which was the realisation of Samantha's and Stuart's long-held dream to open their own Taproom. We have been very excited work with them on their food offering.
WILD
SUSSEX
Wild Sussex, run by dynamic duo Sam and Paul, is based in Pulborough and they sell seasoned logs, kindling, charcoal and most things fire-related. All their logs are locally sourced, mixed hardwoods, properly seasoned and ready to use right away.
Sam and Paul champion woodland management, as well as local craftsmen and women, stocking their incredibly unique, sustainable and seasonal products. Our personal favourite is their hand-made chopping boards, one of which we use ourselves on a daily basis.
POTTERS
THUMB
Potters Thumb is a Brighton-based pottery studio started by Mark Ciavola. A passion for ceramics was embedded in Mark from an early age by his mum back in Malta.
We first met Mark and Potters Thumb at Silo when they got together to turn the restaurant's waste glass into plates (a project that Doug McMaster has continued in London). It was in that first meeting when the quality and care behind Potters Thumb's ceramics became apparent. Every piece (be it vase, bowl or cup) gets made by hand here in Brighton and when finished gets individually stamped with the frankly awesome Potters Thumb logo.
CRAFT HOUSE COFFEE
Tom and Bridget from Craft House Coffee are incredible people roasting great coffee with direct links to farmers and cooperatives all over the coffee-growing world. Based in Henfield, all the coffee they purchase has been ethically traded with full traceability to the farms' origin, so you can have a double espresso knowing the name of the farmer who works the fields that produced the berries that make up your cup.
They really encapsulate everything that we strive towards here at The Syndicate Kitchen by celebrating all the hands that bring you your Flat White.