A chef who trained at one of London’s most famous kitchens is taking on a new challenge - reviving a garden centre cafe. Martin Spicer hopes “doing things differently” will help his new Rose Garden Café in Layham Garden Centre, near Canterbury, thrive. Previous owners opened The Potting Shed Cafe at the Staple site in November but soon closed to focus on other ventures .
Trained at The Savoy Hotel, one of London’s most challenging and luxurious kitchens, Mr Spicer will use local produce in his new seasonal “trendy menu” - including £11 halloumi toasties - with alcoholic drinks in the pipeline. “We’re doing these incredible avocado, halloumi and spinach toasties where we also include homemade chilli jam,” he said. “To make it work in this industry you need to move with the times so we do things differently here - we’re a little bit trendy.
“We do various delicious main meals here, we make all our own cakes and scones - that’s a real pulling point, we also have a specials board. “I’ve been in catering nearly 50 years, a chef all my life, I have trust customers will return here. “We use the local baker and butcher, source local milk and cheese.
I employ quite a few local people, so it’s all good.” The 65-year-old headed up numerous UK hotel kitchens, including opening Ashford International’s during the 1990s, when the railway station was rebranded. “It was so busy back then and, of course, things change, so with any catering business you need to evolve with the times to make it work, and that’s what we’re doing here,” he said.
“The garden centre is where people come for a good half day, so offering good cuisine here makes sense.” Situated between Canterbury and Sandwich, the Johnson family took over the centre seven years ago with a vision to create a space where people stay and socialise. With the new extension completed last summer, the Potting Shed Cafe opened in November and breakfasts proved popular.
But in April, the owners behind the business announced on social media they would shut, to take time to focus on family and their other cafe, The Grapevine in Martin Mill, Dover. After reading a KentOnline article about the closure, Mr Spicer, of Tenterden, was keen to apply his expertise to open his Rose Garden Café. A sibling of six, Mr Spicer trained under a three-year apprenticeship at the five-star Savoy in Strand from 1977, then worked in hotels throughout the West Country.
At the height of his career, he headed up 18 executive chefs at Cardiff’s Inn on the Avenue, before opening Ashford International Hotel’s kitchen where he remained for 11 years. Following a stint as catering manager at the prestigious Royal Ballet School, the father-of-three opened a cafe in Planters Farm Shop in Hirst Green, East Sussex. In Staple, the former Ashford North School pupil charges £14.
25 for mains and, if all goes to plan, will soon serve alcohol alongside his seasonal menu. Soup of the day is priced at £8, a breakfast sandwich £6, and sandwiches with chips at £11. The prices are not dissimilar to competitors like Grovewell Garden Centres throughout Kent and Gibson’s Farm Shop in nearby Wingham.
A feta filo pastry parcel with lemon drizzle salad and chips comes in at the same price. “In the winter will change our menu up again. At the moment the toasties are absolutely incredible.
“You get that plume of steam, the lovely smell of that griddled halloumi, the crunchy bread has a great aroma,” he said..
