Thursday
The Germination Station
15:15
Ollie Hutson is the Head Kitchen Gardener for THE PIG (otherwise known as their Kitchen Garden guru!). Having always been a keen veg grower, growing up around his grandad’s allotment in the New Forest, Ollie was keen to get away from the family business of hospitality. His dad is experienced hotelier, Robin Hutson, who originally set up the Hotel Du Vin group. But, as Ollie explains: “When my old man founded THE PIG in 2011, my skillset was relevant and I couldn’t stay away!” Ollie has headed up the gardening teams, who grow and harvest homegrown kitchen garden produce for THE PIG’s 25-mile menus ever since.
When approaching any new garden, Ollie is passionate that, “You should want to do justice to the gardeners who came before you, and also leave them in a good state for the gardeners who will come after. I strongly believe you are only a custodian of any garden for a while.”