Gazegill Organics and Eight - a dream journey
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- Gazegill Organics and Eight – a dream journey
Following their award-winning streak, we put Emma Robinson and Ian O’Reilly, current custodians of the Robinson family farm and Gazegill Organics, in the Spotlight. To hear more about the realisation of their dream – the unique, sustainable, farm-to-fork restaurant Eight at Gazegill by Doug Crampton.
Let’s start at the beginning — what sparked the idea for Eight?
The original idea behind Eight was born 20 years ago at a farmers market when we were trying to utilise unsold stock (we did not have the farm shop then so anything unsold went into a freezer).
Our thoughts were some sort of eatery on the farm that utilised potential waste or surplus stock. Never in our wildest dreams did we ever envisage Eight in its current form, that dream we saved until much later when we had the realisation that this could just be something very special.
Early days you doubt what you can achieve but that dare to dream moment will come.
When you first set out, what was the mission or belief that really drove you?
From the outset we championed sustainability and a zero waste approach but also believed that a farm to fork experience would work – we looked at other restaurants around the county with kitchen gardens and knew we could maybe offer just a bit more.
We are the only restaurant in the country that offers a raw milk soft serve from a single rare breed herd of Dairy Shorthorns and with a farm and foraged larder feeding much of the menu offerings into the restaurant; sustainability is a real driving factor.
How important was finding the right chef to achieving your dream?
As the journey evolved we knew we had something special. The building grew organically with (maybe surprising to some) no design concept or real set plan, plus building at the top of one of our hay meadows, it just needed to grow from the ground.
Materials chosen were sustainable and where possible local,; the oak frame is offset by planting over 300 trees a year on the farm. The build was slow (interrupted by Covid) as it was heavily dependant on us standing at every stage in the space and feeling what it told us, it had to be right.
Sat in the spring of 2021 with just an oak frame above us watching curlews dropping into the surrounding meadows with their mesmerising warble, with a glass of wine we had our epiphany – this was a very special place and it really could grow into something very special indeed. We needed a chef that could carry this forward in such a way that it would be outstanding in it’s class.
Now the real challenge began (building and budgets were one challenge but this person was key). Emma being relatively shy sat watching Masterchef the Professionals said she liked a finalist and decided to randomly message them on what was then Twitter.
Much to Ian’s surprise he responded and offered to help us recruit a chef that could take this on. A friendship with Chris Finnegan was born and we set about searching for the right person, many people applied and some we knew and others we did not, no-one stood out until Chris in a very excited mood called us whilst we were driving and told us to sit down, followed quickly by “pull over, I have found your perfect chef”.
Our chance crossing of paths with Doug Crampton evolved into a series of meetings and discussions as to how this would work, negotiations followed and we finally shook hands at our mid-way meeting place in Rawtenstall. This was the pivotal moment that took us to within a stones throw of launch – and just then, we dared to dream.
If you look back over the journey so far, which moments feel like real turning points?
As the team built and menus were developed there were many turning points, just too many to single one out. Every award and recognition simply spurred us on and allowed us to dream, but it was probably the week in February this year achieving not just a Green Michelin Star but winning two Lancashire Tourism Awards, with such great judges comments, it was then that we knew we were on to something.
Every business hits bumps in the road. What have been some of your biggest challenges?
Running a farm operation prepares you for the unexpected as animals have other ideas and agendas, we just frame our day around those moments and every day brings a new challenge to deal with.
Maybe by taking this “ready for anything” attitude into the restaurant we have learnt to ride every wave, especially in a new and alien business sector to the one in which we traditionally operated.
A ‘can do’ approach is key. Planning permissions have proven difficult but having open and engaging dialogue with the local authority made for a better understanding of what we can do, and how the council can help us achieve this.
What achievement makes you smile the most when you think about it?
We find this is probably the most difficult question to answer as every step of the journey has been a series of proud moments that really made us smile. Maybe the moment we truly enjoy is when we’re sat dining in Eight, experiencing the amazing team across a seamless food and beverage service, its our happy place.
How has your team or the culture evolved as you’ve grown?
Our team has evolved well, we have attracted a really solid group of exceptional hospitality personalities from front of house to pot wash and from pass to table (kitchen and floor).
The team has grown and we are proud to call this the Gazegill way – slow, sustainable and delivered with passion about food at every step along the way.
Food that is local, sustainably produced and made with passion for a better environment. Taking this a step further we have championed staff mealtimes – a long shift requires a team to relax and enjoy food together at staff tea time where the whole team can sit down together and relax.
How does Eight compare with any other restaurants with a similar ethos – is there a place like Eight or have you indeed created something unique?
We are not sure it does compare as it is so unique in its field. Why? Eight was always a pipe dream. We knew we would create a space that was going to be quite special and although the journey was a long and developing road, we always kept heart that this was a space in Lancashire that would be a unique destination. Whether it is the milk herd walking through the yard after grazing the higher pastures stopping the traffic or, that we are still there day in day out in our wellies farming – Gazegill is a true and unique demonstration of a diversified farm business.
Adding solar panels and batteries only adds to the sustainable ethos and even using the waste cooking oil to run a generator to charge the batteries means we are moving away from the crowd.
What kind of feedback or support from customers or the community has stuck with you?
We have been genuinely inundated with stunning reviews about service, location and food – this has been a dream journey.
Sat hidden in a most beautiful corner of Lancashire, we genuinely want to share our farm with visitors. A visit to Eight is not just about food, service or the surrounding structure, its about the holistic experience – of time spent in our very special corner of Lancashire.
Whether its the piglets running free in the farm yard as people drive through or the ducks, ducklings and geese on the car park, every visit is a real insight into the life of the farm.
What feels like the next big step/a dream future for Gazegill/Eight?
We are ultimately coy about this but building on the success of a Green Michelin Star and two LTA awards in one week, places us in a good position to talk about the future.
Plans for a new farm shop adjacent to Eight are about to come to life. We are planning to join the two buildings together with a lounge area for guests to enjoy pre-dinner drinks or enjoy a coffee, before adjourning to the farm shop.
Of course we want to achieve more recognition and are looking at ways to bring home maybe another star but we also think we can bring home to Lancashire a gold award for the Visit England Awards, fingers crossed…
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As winner of two Lancashire Tourism Awards, Eight at Gazegill by Doug Crampton now has the chance to go through to the national Visit England Awards for Excellence.