Organic September – How UK Hotels are Serving Up a Greener Plate

Kitchen gardens lie at the heart of some of the UK’s most celebrated hotels, shaping menus with the freshest of ingredients and garden-to-plate inspiration.

At Gravetye Manor, the historic walled kitchen garden is the heartbeat of every dish. Sunlight glints off pumpkin vines and crisp root vegetables peek from the soil, ready to be transformed into seasonal dishes. Chefs work hand in hand with the gardeners, creating plates that reflect the rhythm of the seasons. The produce isn’t just beautiful; it’s a tale of craftsmanship you can taste in every bite.

Homewood extends this philosophy across two acres of gardens and orchards. The “plot-to-plate” approach means every meal celebrates what is thriving in the garden that day – from heritage apples and sun-blushed tomatoes to rainbow chard and fragrant herbs. As you wander among the raised beds and greenhouses, you can follow the journey from seed to supper, chatting with Kitchen Gardener Darren Stephens and his team as they harvest the ingredients destined for your plate

At Whatley Manor’s Michelin-starred restaurant, The Dining Room, garden-to-plate principles come together to create dishes that feel grounded, celebratory and utterly irresistible. Here the likes of roasted beetroot, chestnut mushrooms, tender leeks and fragrant herbs shine in dishes that tell a story of place, season and sustainable luxury. Explore the kitchen garden and the 12 acres of gardens on the estate, learn about sustainable gardening practices or even enjoy alfresco meals on the Kitchen Garden Terrace.

Similarly, Matfen Hall in Northumberland brings the garden right to the kitchen. Set in 300 acres of parkland, the estate grows herbs, vegetables and edible flowers metres from the stoves, so you can expect tomatoes that taste like sunshine, courgettes picked that morning and vibrant garnishes straight from the soil. The result? Food that is elegant but never fussy, a joyful love letter to country living.

Heading now to Scotland, where The Torridon demonstrates how UK sustainable hotels can combine hyper-local ingredients with fine dining. The hotel’s two-acre kitchen garden, alongside produce from the community’s crofters and fishermen, ensures every dish captures the essence of the Highlands while showcasing locally sourced treasures. You can navigate the garden paths, chat with the growers and discover the connection between the land, the sea and what appears on your plate.

Beyond the walled gardens, UK chefs are turning the surrounding countryside into a veritable food store.

At Grove of Narberth in Pembrokeshire, blackberries, hazelnuts, wild garlic and golden squash find their way from hedgerow and garden to the table, highlighting locally sourced produce in every dish. You can see the chefs foraging alongside the kitchen team, while each menu evolves constantly to reflect Pembrokeshire’s changing landscape and the spirit of Organic September.

Winter carrots, parsnips, pumpkins and earthy mushrooms take centre stage at Northcote in Lancashire. At the helm of its Michelin-starred restaurant is award-winning Chef Patron-Director Lisa Goodwin-Allen who sources her ingredients from local producers, letting heritage vegetables and pasture-raised meats shine with simplicity and local pride.

Nestled in the rolling valleys of Dartmoor National Park, Bovey Castle brings a sense of playful abundance to the season. Kids and adults alike can explore vegetable plots, forage for herbs or watch as produce from the gardens is transformed into seasonal treats that are as comforting as they are visually stunning.