As autumn arrived, British Food Fortnight offered the opportunity to celebrate the growers and producers behind the food we eat. For its 25th anniversary this October, we championed British food and the people behind bringing fresh produce from field to plate.
At Fooditude, British produce helps shape our autumn menus, including squash from the organic, family-run Bedlam Farms in Cambridgeshire. Here’s how their seasonal ingredients and responsible sourcing help us bring fresh and diverse food to workplaces across London.
In the spotlight: Bedlam Farms squash
This autumn, we are celebrating squash from Bedlam Farms. Behind the seasonal ingredient, the story of Bedlam Farms spans four generations of farming in the Cambridgeshire Fens. The farm grows its vegetables on site and packs them in its own packhouse, keeping the journey from field to packaging to no more than a mile. Its growing approach puts soil care at the heart of production, with different crops matched to the farm’s varied soil types.
Squash is a particularly good example of this attention to the growing process. Bedlam Farms describes its organic squash as growing slowly in rich, fertile soil, using natural growing methods to develop a naturally sweet, full flavour. After harvesting, the squash is cured, which develops its flavour and helps preserve quality during storage.
It’s a reminder that great seasonal cooking starts well before an ingredient reaches the kitchen. Knowing more about the people who grow our food and the care that goes into producing it brings greater meaning to the ingredients our chefs work with.
British produce with provenance at the heart
We prioritise British-grown produce suppliers like Bedlam Farms wherever possible, forming a trusted network of British suppliers to bring quality ingredients into our menus. Provenance is about more than just knowing where the produce comes from. It’s about understanding how the food is produced and making the supply chain as visible as possible from the farm to your workplace.
Seasonal produce shapes how we develop menus, from everyday office lunches to special events; British ingredients sit at the heart of each menu. You can explore more about our approach to food and suppliers, and the important role suppliers play in workplace dining, with our guide to responsible sourcing and why it matters.
Other British suppliers behind our menus
Our trusted network shares our commitment to quality and responsible sourcing. Here are a few more British suppliers that shape our dishes at Fooditude.
HG Walter: British beef with traceability
London-based butcher HG Walter supplies our British beef, bringing the focus to meat traceability, animal welfare and close relationships with farmers.
Hodmedods: British-grown grains and pulses
Hodmedods champions British-grown grains, beans and pulses, bringing heritage crops into the spotlight and helping our chefs explore more variety in plant-forward cooking.
Dingley Dell: British outdoor-reared pork
Based on the east coast of Suffolk, family-run Dingley Dell produces British pork with a focus on outdoor rearing and animal welfare.
Angry Monk: Rescuing surplus fruit and veg
Focused on preventing food waste, Angry Monk supplies Fooditude with surplus produce, sourcing fresh fruit and veg from London’s wholesale markets that might otherwise be thrown away.
Bringing seasonal ingredients to the menu
Seasonal ingredients give our chefs opportunities to create dishes that feel connected to the time of year, with different flavours and textures to enjoy as the seasons progress. At Fooditude, our approach is chef-led and focused on cooking from scratch. Rather than relying on repetitive menus, we aim to bring the variety and creativity you would expect from a restaurant into the workplace.
Explore our sample menus for a glimpse of new dishes, ready to serve as daily office lunches, event catering or both. Whichever service is right for your workplace, seasonal menu development gives teams more opportunities to enjoy fresh, thoughtfully prepared food throughout the year.
Feed Your Team Happy
By the end of British Food Fortnight, we were more inspired than ever to bring seasonal British produce, thoughtful sourcing and chef-led cooking to workplace dining.
If you’re exploring contract or corporate catering in London, we’d love to hear about your workplace, your people and the kind of food experience you want to create.
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