My name is Fred, and I am a compost addict.

It’s been quite an adventure, growing vegetables, herbs and salads for the restaurant. If you had asked me a few years ago about growing vegetables of any kind by myself, I would have probably said “no chance, where would I start?”. But here I am, in my fifth year, having started (nearly) from scratch.

The garden has provided hundreds of kilos of lettuces and aromatics herbs for our restaurants; some very easy to grow; some needing a bit more care. I’ve spent hours watching online videos and reading a few books.

My name is Fred, and I am a compost addict. Yes, I admit it! I have learned, not all, but a few rules about compost. I have bought many types of compost from various producers, but the real one, the one I am addicted to, is my own. Just like a good stock, there is only one way, and that is home-made.

A good stock will enhance any sauce, soup or casserole you make. And a good compost is the best base for growing healthy vegetables. I use common sense, and my instinct, to decide what will make the best compost. The three key things I aim for are how it looks, its substance, and how it smells. It’s almost like nosing a wine, deciphering all those aromas — it’s addictive.

What’s in it?

I take use most of our food waste, cardboard, coffee grinds, vegetable peelings, as well as all the waste from the garden like leaves, freshly-cut grass and dried grass. It’s a magical recipe, and very similar to making a good stock. A bit more of this and a bit more of that. The smell of this and the smell of that. It needs a bit longer or a bit less time. The end result is so good that I sometimes don’t want to use it, and save it as much as I can. I sometimes wonder if I am normal to love compost as much as I do.