SIMON ROGAN Our Farm
John Rowland and Simon Rogan
Chef and restaurateur Simon Rogan is renowned the world over for being at the forefront of the UK’s farm to fork movement, which comes as no surprise when you learn that he established his own farm in 2013. The 12-acre site on the fringes of Cartmel, known as Our Farm, is dedicated to producing quality, fresh ingredients that simply can’t be bought from suppliers. Growing for restaurants like Simon’s is a very precise process, utilising techniques his team of gardeners have perfected over the last eight years.
The resident Our Farm team are nurtured by head farmer John Rowland, a native of the valleys of South Wales. During his career, John has worked with an impressive collection of chefs, including the likes of Deano Westcar, Nigel Keller-Godwin and Elly Wentworth.
John didn’t hesitate in saying yes and began working in the hotel’s Italian gardens almost straight away, helping with the orchard and herb gardens, as well as working with chef Richard Davies growing produce for the restaurant. This is where John developed his interest in growing, and over nine years he worked his way through the ranks to become head grower. Following this he went on to work alongside chef John Campbell at The Woodspeen, Newbury and later chef Leigh Evans at the Methuen Arms, Corsham, producing crops for their kitchens. John may have started out as groundsman, but years later he has become one of the UK’s leading plantsmen, propagating and nurturing edible plants for one of the UK’s leading chefs.
Interestingly though John didn’t set out to be a gardener, but his pathway into farming came about following his role as a green keeper at a golf course in Wiltshire, part of the Manor House Hotel estate in Castle Coombe. It was here where he was approached and asked if he would be interested in working in the hotel’s gardens.
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