'It’s like we have been pushing a big snowball up a hill for a long time and now it’s time to push it off the edge,’ says Ian O’Reilly, who owns Gazegill Organics in Rimington with wife, Emma Robinson. ‘It feels incredible to be at the point where we are opening our doors. It’s been a long time coming.’
Ian and Emma both run the organic farm and meat business, as well as raw milk business, Emma’s Dairy, on their farm in one of the Ribble Valley’s most gorgeous spots. And along with chef patron Doug Crampton have now launched Eight at Gazegill - the UK’s first off grid restaurant. Taster nights for one of the county’s newest dining destinations have been a huge success with sharing plates, suppers and tasting menus making for happy diners.
What most of those diners won’t know is that Eight at Gazegill has been more than a decade in the planning. For years the couple have yearned to open their own restaurant showcasing the best of their own organic meats, the larder of produce available from the county but also, crucially, the countryside surrounding the farm – a place abundant in nature which has been in the Robinson family for more than 500 years.
‘During the build, Emma and I were sitting on the terrace, and you could see curlews dancing around together, the noise of the wildlife, the sun setting bright pink through the trees and a stunning view of Pendle Hill,’ says Ian. ‘It was magical and it’s hard to beat. To be able to share that with our guests, and celebrate that connection with nature, feels particularly special.’
Chef Doug learned his craft at 3AA Rosette Anthony’s Restaurant in Leeds, trained with top British Michelin star chefs and led the opening of the award-winning James Martin Manchester where he was executive chef. Now, his days have changed form working in a ‘small black box’ to having views over wildflower meadows and Pendle Hill. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to launch a new restaurant with such bold vision and plans.
‘Eight at Gazegill has been a long time coming for Ian and Emma so it’s great to have joined the team and be entrusted in opening and running the restaurant for them,’ says Doug. ‘There aren’t many chefs who are able to come into a completely new kitchen, build their own team and come to a location like this to do it. It’s exciting and I feel very lucky.’
Doug has the chef’s dream with the farm shop, just a few steps away, as his main supplier as well as local producers and nature to inspire him. Using all those wonderful ingredients, he will put together a number of dining experiences with food ‘cooked simply, over fire‘, whether it be fine dining on a Saturday evening, coffee and cake on the terrace on a sunny afternoon or brilliant brunches or charcuterie boards made for sharing. They will also be creating their own soft serve from the raw milk produced by the heritage herd on the farm – Old English Dairy Shorthorns.
'Menus will be driven by what is available, rather than what can be pre-ordered from a wholesaler, celebrating the seasonal food when it is at its best. And keeping food waste low, using the whole animal, will be at the forefront of how our menus are created.
‘I’m sure the butchers will get fed up with me mooching around to see what’s available all the time,’ smiles Doug. ‘But it’s wonderful to have the ingredients we do right here on the farm at our fingertips. These animals take time to rear. Out of respect for the animal you need to use it in the best way and use the whole animal.
‘Our ethos is using the best produce cooked simply over fire with full flavour and some surprises. We are championing the field-to-fork ethos and ensure everything we do is sustainable and eco-friendly.’
But just like the animals who are allowed to slow mature while grazing the 250 acres of land on the farm, they are taking their time making sure everything is completely right for their guests. Doug has already recruited Luke Canning, his former sous chef from James Martin Manchester as well as former Northcote and The Three Fishes manager, Kim Talbot, and talented barista and beverage manager Ben Clayton. Now, he wants to find the county’s next generation of hospitality talent.
‘We’re a small team and we are starting in a way that means we can offer a really good service,’ says Doug, who still managed to cook solo for 100 people on some of the taster evenings. ‘I feel lucky to have people like Luke, Kim and Ben on board and now we want to get some enthusiastic younger members of the team in, people who want to come to learn and be invested in what we are trying to achieve here.
‘This is all part of the ethos that runs through Eight at Gazegill. As well as celebrating the land and making great food from what it provides, we also want to nurture young talent and give them an experience that will set them in good stead for a brilliant career in hospitality.’
The eco credentials Emma and Ian have invested into the build of the striking octagonal oak structure have been just as carefully considered as all the other ingredients needed to make a successful business.
The restaurant is called Eight because of its shape and because it was inspired by the fact that there are eight festivals to a pagan year. The whole space is powered using stored solar energy generated by a wind turbine and solar voltaics. Wood fired and tandoor ovens are in the open kitchen and their hope is that more solar technology with provide the entire needs of the farm, the farm shop and restaurant. To offset the use of oak in the construction of Eight, the farm has committed to planting 250 trees a year for 10 years.
‘If there is one good thing you can do for the environment, it's to plant trees,’ says Ian. ‘It’s the thing I’d always advise people to do. But looking after the wonderful environment we have, and the planet, has always been at the centre of what we do. That will never change – it’s crucial to us.’
Despite the commitment the restaurant has needed, Emma and Ian are continuing their expansion plans with a new farm shop – the existing one will then be used to make pies, sausage rolls and other Gazegill food to be sold. They are also planning to offer accommodation and to build a prep kitchen at the back of the restaurant.
‘It feels crazy after such a big project to be doing even more,’ says Emma. ‘But we know we will do it. This is a dream project for us and to see it all coming together is truly special.’
And Ian adds: ‘We are bringing together and celebrating traditional and nature-led farming and combining it with the skill of Doug and his team. It's not just a restaurant, it’s also something that will bring more people to the area and boosts tourism, it supports other producers and shows our commitment to them and allowing us, with each plate of food, to tell the story of the farm and its heritage.
‘We are so excited to see how it develops. To see people popping in to sit on the terrace for an ice cream or mark special occasions with a fine dining experience, we want all of that to happen.’
