The Big Nibble

Venessa Alexander, Firebird Brewery

Venessa Alexander works for Firebird Brewery, with an extensive background in destination and partnership marketing.

Seeing the potential Horsham has to offer and seeking ways to showcase this whilst working with local Sussex suppliers and in partnership with Visit Horsham, Your Horsham and Horsham District Council - Venessa will talk about the Horsham Tap & Vine Takeover. The idea for this trail was born from a desire to promote the wide and diverse hospitality scene in Horsham and partner it with some of the huge array of Sussex breweries, wineries and cideries throughout the county.  Sample Sussex and see what Horsham has to offer.

Philippa Vine, My Seasonal Kitchen

Philippa grew up on a farm in East Sussex, and later trained in cordon bleu cookery at the Eastbourne School of Domestic Economy. In 2001, She was selected as a regional finalist for Masterchef, which led to her writing a monthly recipe column, ‘Farmlife Flavours’, for Farmers Weekly magazine that ran for 12 years.

In 2018 Philippa began an ongoing collaboration with Esse cookers, setting up the Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen cookery school.

My Seasonal Kitchen

Philippa's latest project is a series of four cookbooks, each covering one season of the year, inspired by the best local ingredients and the wonderful food producers in our region.

The books were written and photographed at Beatons, the farm in Sussex where she lives with her husband, Michael.

Matt Gillan

Matt Gillan is renowned for his progressive approach to modern British cuisine, rooted in technique, creativity, and a deep respect for local ingredients. Matt has had a career that has taken him through the kitchens of the country’s most celebrated Michelin-starred restaurants-including Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Midsummer House, as well as Sussex’s own The Pass at South Lodge, where Matt earned a Michelin Star and his own restaurant, Heritage

Matt is now continuing his journey celebrating local suppliers and showcasing local produce at a new position – Watch this space.

Josh Mann, Camellia at South Lodge

Josh Mann leads Camellia, South Lodge's 3 AA Rosette restaurant, championing seasonal Sussex produce sourced from the hotel's walled garden and local suppliers. With experience across Michelin-starred kitchens in the UK, France and Portugal, Mann combines technical excellence with a modern approach, creating refined dining experiences rooted in provenance and flavour.

Camellia at South Lodge is an epitome of elegance celebrating the best of Sussex through seasonal menus. Open to all for dinner Monday to Saturday and Sunday lunch, it offers refined modern British dining rooted in craftsmanship.

Tom Bartle, Botanica at South Lodge

Tom Bartle leads Botanica, South Lodge’s pioneering dairy-free, zero-waste restaurant. Championing sustainability, seasonality and local sourcing, he creates innovative plant-led menus that are both allergen-aware and flavour driven. His work showcases how responsible, waste-conscious cooking can sit seamlessly alongside exceptional luxury hospitality.

Botanica at South Lodge is inspired by Mediterranean flavours and the natural bounty of the South Downs. Designed to feed your senses, its seasonal menus celebrate plant-led creativity and sustainable cooking in a relaxed setting, open to all for brunch and lunch daily, and dinner Friday to Sunday.

Tom Hayler, The Seaview

With over 22 years’ experience, Tom Hayler began his culinary career in Chichester before training at Pennyhill Park and The Dorchester, Park Lane. Most recently leading the kitchen at The Black Horse, Amberley, Tom is now Executive Chef at The Seaview, bringing a passion for seasonality, sustainability and exceptional local produce.

Dating back to the 1820s, The Seaview is a beautifully restored boutique hotel, restaurant and bar in the coastal village of East Preston, West Sussex. Just moments from the sea, it combines relaxed luxury with seasonal dining, boutique rooms and a warm, contemporary take on the traditional Sussex Pub using the best of local Game, Meat and Produce supplied by Chef's Farms.

Tom Denman, Chef's Farm

Chef's Farms are the missing link that enables food businesses to work directly with their local farms, hassle free. They match chefs to farmers within their network, facilitating strong and mutually beneficial relationships between them whilst their fleet of vans and packing facility handles the logistics. They work in lock-step with the seasons whilst drawing on first hand experience on both sides of the farm gate, designing bespoke systems that are rooted in how hospitality and farming actually work.

Lawrence McCarthy, Felix Bistro

South African-born Lawrence has an impressive pedigree. He has worked at and with The Ledbury, Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, Tom Aikens, and at The Salt Room (and Black Rock Restaurants) in Brighton, where he was executive chef, although locals may also know him from his time at Tristan’s in Horsham. He was also a finalist for the National Chef of the Year 2016 and worked on food development for Fallow Group, London.

At Felix Bistro, Chef Lawrence works seasonally on the modern menu. Felix is open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday (5pm to 9pm) and for lunch Wednesday – Saturday for lunch (10 am to 4 pm).

“Felix is all about being a modern bistro, with high energy service, bold cooking and superb drinks, we aim to popularise independent dining in the heart of Horsham once again. We take pride in using local Sussex produce, especially our meat. Dining at Felix is to be part of our culture” - Lawrence

Ian Brunsden, Orla Restaurant

Ian started his career at 15 years old as a kitchen porter at a village pub. He worked his way up through restaurants, fine dining establishments and dabbled in Michelin kitchens. After travelling to France and Australia he came back to his roots in Sussex, appeared on MasterChef the Professionals and opened Orla Restaurant with his wife Ellen in April 2025.

Their aim is "Achieving a high standard of service with a relaxed atmosphere". Within the first year Orla has been crowned best restaurant in Sussex through Muddy Stilettos. The name Orla is a combination of Ian and Ellen's children's names Orson and Marla. Relaxed fine dining is what they do.

David Howard, Cabin Pressure Spirits

David Howard founded Cabin Pressure Spirits in 2016, leaving his career in aviation software to start a distillery in his tiny garden shed in Horsham. Using a custom-built glass vacuum still, he perfected a unique low-temperature technique to produce extraordinary small-batch spirits.

Since starting out, Cabin Pressure Spirits have expanded their range to include a wide selection of award-winning gins, rums, and liqueurs. Today, their vacuum-distilled spirits are available across a diverse network of stockists—from local delis, farm shops, and independent wine merchants to online retailers, prestigious hotels, and Michelin-starred restaurants. David still crafts every batch in Horsham and can regularly be found serving up samples and chatting with locals at Horsham Market.

Apply for a pitch

Sussex producers and local food and drink businesses selling Sussex produce are invited to apply for a Big Nibble pitch on the Food Rocks website.

Apply for a pitch