Brassica Forno - Bridport

THE FOUNDING COMPANY - BRASSICA BEAMINSTER

Established in 2014, Brassica Beaminster is a family-run business based in West Dorset.  Our aim is to bring delicious food not only to your table in Brassica Restaurant, but we also run a shop across the road, Brassica Mercantile to keep your home well-stocked; selling everything from daily breads, groceries, organic wine, meat & poultry to homewares and books.

During the pandemic of 2020-2021 with both Brassica Restaurant & Mercantile closed by the lockdowns, owners Cass Titcombe & Louise Chidgey pivoted their whole business into an online ready-meal service (Handmade Meals), delivering weekly within a 10 mile radius of Beaminster.

This operation was so successful, the ready-meals have remained an integral part of Brassica Beaminster, with pre-orders for Handmade Meals being placed online for collection in our shop in Beaminster every Friday and Saturday. All meals (includes soup, pies, fishcakes, melanzane Parmigiana to name a few) are made using the finest ingredients - organic where possible, and produced solely in our restaurant kitchen in Beaminster.

BRASSICA FORNO - BRIDPORT

In mid-2023 we are launching Brassica Forno in Bridport, in the site previously occupied by Leakers Bakery, who closed their doors in October 2022.

By taking on Leakers Bakery it allows us to use the premises as a production kitchen for our Handmade Meals (the restaurant kitchen is proving to be too small), therefore increasing our output for the demand. But more importantly, re-opening the small retail shop selling a daily selection of pastries, pizza a taglio (slice), focaccia, arancini (risotto balls), hot-food lunch takeaway and our best-selling doughnuts. We have also perfected a new recipe for schiacciate (Tuscan flatbread) which we will be using for daily sandwiches.

The retail shop will not only be a collection point for pre-ordered Handmade Meals, but a display fridge with a range of the meals will available to purchase daily. Alongside this will be a selection of Brassica Mercantile's (Beaminster) best-sellers which includes Torres crisps, Brindisa olives & pickles, Meurisse chocolate & Brassica condiments.

The existing bakery premises is perfect for our operational needs, but also enables Brassica to have a meaningful presence on the local high street in Bridport; re-occupying an important bakery for the town, albeit with a more Mediterranean influence. Independent, quality-led businesses are the backbone of Britain and it is important to support the local community by re-occupying empty premises and creating jobs & opportunities within a respectful and friendly environment.

We will be working exclusively with WildFarmed, flour which is made from a diverse variety of wheat grown alongside a variety of plants, grasses, and legumes. This method of growing provides a nutty, depth of flavour full of nutrition, not available from a single strain, while constantly improving the soil in which they are grown. Sustainability and low-impact waste will be the driving force behind Brassica Forno, minimising the use of plastic and returning packaging to suppliers where possible.

YOUR DONATIONS WILL CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS

• Installation of critical kitchen extraction
• Key pieces of equipment - blast chiller, coffee machine & pizza oven
• Purchase a retail deck fridge to display all the Handmade Meals

'LOOK & FEEL' OF BRASSICA FORNO BRIDPORT

Before and after (artist's impression)

AWARD-WINNERS & GUIDES

Brassica Beaminster - both Restaurant and Mercantile are award-winning - including best Good Food Guide Local Restaurant, The Sunday Times Top 100 Restaurants, top 50 Independent shops in The Telegraph and also feature in all major guides including Harden's, Good Food Guide, The Michelin Guide, Squaremeal, AA Rosette, and Trencherman's.  We are a 2023 finalist in the Trencherman's Awards for Creativity & Innovation and The Food Magazine for Best Restaurant.

ABOUT US

Cass Titcombe - Owner/Director/Operations/Chef
Cass has extensive experience in the restaurant business. During the late 1980s and early ’90s he worked in Hole In The Wall, Circus and Woods restaurants in Bath. Under David Price’s tutelage at Woods he learned the day-to-day business of running all aspects of a busy restaurant: managing the kitchen, the bar and the floor; creating and maintaining a happy staff, and – most importantly – cooking for a loyal (and contented) clientele.
In 1994 Cass moved to London and became sous-chef at the celebrated Daphne’s in South Kensington. Following this he opened two restaurants, The Collection and Pasha, for Mogens Tholstrup. Moving to Sussex in 2000 Cass was integral in the opening of The Real Eating Company, a delicatessen, bakery, café and restaurant that specialised in locally sourced food as well as imports from Italy and Spain. After this success he co-founded Canteen in 2005 and, with his two partners, won Best UK Restaurant/Observer Food Monthly Award in 2007. He is the author of Canteen: Great British Food and has consulted for large hospitality brands and restaurant groups.

Louise Chidgey - Owner/Director/Operations/Buyer/Design
Based in London until 2014, Louise has more than thirty years’ experience in design retail with specific expertise in home, interiors and lifestyle. After working as a senior buyer for The Conran Shop she became manager/design manager for Tom Conran Restaurants (including The Cow Pub & Dining Rooms), Marks & Spencer and Selfridges. A brief stint living in Cornwall led to opening The Mill House Inn in 2000.  Since 2005 she has gained an international reputation first at global trend forecasting giant WGSN.com, as head of home design, and then at product development agency Stylus.com, as senior vice president in content and product design.

TESTIMONIALS FOR BRASSICA BEAMINSTER

‘It is simple, deft cooking, with attention to detail...’ JAY RAYNER, The Observer

‘A triumphant homecoming for Cass Titcombe in Dorset’. TRACEY MACLEOD,The Independent

‘Truly delicious food...’ TRICIA GUILD, Designer

'We loved everything about Brasssica - in fact I’ve nominated it as my favourite restaurant on Hardens...’ RICHARD RAMPTON QC

‘Brassica is a jewel box of a shop.  I never go in there without buying something; whether it’s a beautiful sourdough loaf, the perfect vase for wild flowers, or even a garden chair.  There is always something new and tempting.  It’s the only shop & restaurant in the area that I really look forward to visiting’. DAISY GOODWIN, TV Producer & Novelist

‘We left and meandered cross country to Beaminster. We went for yet another fantastic lunch at Brassica. If you ever are coming to West Dorset, make sure you eat here. It’s the absolute best, every time.’  BEN PENTREATH, Designer & Retailer

‘Brassica cuts the mustard with punch & panache...’ MARK TAYLOR, Western Daily News

‘I love eating at Brassica.  Cass’ food is always delicious, always a menu that makes it hard to choose...as I want it all.  The space is very lovely and relaxing too...’ VALENTINE WARNER, Chef & TV Presenter

‘With a daily changing menu and an emphasis on sharing plates, this is a relaxed place to enjoy delicious, interesting and local food. It has a lovely location in Beaminster’s historic market square.’ MARK HIX, Chef

‘An understated interiors shop in the town square of Beaminster with a crefully edited collection of homewares, books, food & wine’. It’s the only interiors shop where something will always blow me away so much that I end up buying it!’. BRIDIE HALL, Designer & Retailer

‘With the fantastic range of independent shops in Beaminster, we are so lucky to have two really vibrant local places to shop and eat - Brassica Restaurant & Mercantile!.’ MARTIN CLUNES, Actor

‘So many utterly delicious things to eat at Brassica Restaurant I’ve been dying to visit since I started coming to Dorset. just impeccable, simple, seasonal cooking’.  FIONA BECKETT, Wine & Food Journalist, The Guardian & Decanter Magazine