There is a new supper club in town, and I think you’re going to like it.
I recently found myself bumping down a narrow country track as the sun set over the South Downs to my left. I had been invited as press to The Sussex Peasant’s Supper Club, but I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
Supper Clubs at the Farms
The event was held at Poynings Grange Vineyard and was the vision of Ed, at The Sussex Peasant. You may know Ed or have seen his distinctive Sussex Peasant horseboxes, which have been converted into travelling markets of local, seasonal produce which comes straight from local farms.
Poynings Grange Vineyard is run by Rupert and Esme. The vineyard was established in 2010 and operates on minimalist intervention principles. They grow Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Bacchus. It is also a working family farm with sheep and cattle. As yet, Poynings Grange doesn’t offer tours or tastings so this was a rare chance to visit the vineyard.
The barn
A few years ago, I found myself in Armagnac country in France at the end of the harvest. They celebrate in style; the local estates host communal, festive banquets in large barns right next to the operating stills, featuring regional food, wine, and newly distilled spirits. It gets quite lively and I remember wishing that we had this back home in Sussex.
Well, the Sussex Peasant Supper Club felt like a real step in that direction. Having parked in a field, a farm track lit by fairy lights led to an old barn. Stone walls were decorated with more twinkling lights, candles lit the windows and a makeshift bar served the drinks. Inside, the atmosphere was buzzing as we took our seats at long trestle tables dressed with hessian cloth, pumpkins , and a few more candles. This was the best type of rustic. Not the pretentious type you get at some venues, and for a moment I was transported back to the Armagnac region. Happy days.
The vision
Ed’s vision is simple: to bring farmers, their produce and the people who enjoy it closer together. By celebrating seasonal Sussex food and the stories behind it, he hopes to reconnect guests with the land, the seasons and the people who grow their food. But on a more complex level, Ed also believes that in doing so, it will help develop a stronger, more resilient food system.
That approach showed. This wasn’t a barn full of trendy foodies jumping on a farm to fork bandwagon. Around the table were the people behind the food, sitting down to enjoy it: farmers, a cheese maker, a baker, a butcher, a brewer, wine makers and even the musician who plays at the market.
On the menu
There was a makeshift cooking area outside where I gather Ed and his co-conspirator Nick were doing all the cooking. The ticket included a glass of Poynings Grange Sussex sparkling, nibbles, main and dessert. Wine from the vineyard and Sussex beer were available to buy from the bar.
The menu was a veritable feast and vast bowls and pans of food just kept coming. This was good honest food. There was a Poynings Grange lamb and wine Blanquette, roasted squash and sage risotto, seared Savoy cabbage, roasted onion carrot and tomato salad, kale salad all rounded off with caramelised apple crumble and local ice cream. And joys of joy, on the menu, all the many producers were listed along with how many miles the produce had travelled.
An evening well spent
Some guests had arrived early for a vineyard tour and tractor ride. By the time I arrived at dusk, the barn was already packed and I was greeted by the welcoming sound of conversation bubbling away. Esme, from Poynings Grange Vineyard, captured the mood beautifully as she described the sense of belief in the power of local. Producers spoke with pride and conviction about how important the quality of their produce is to them, and the whole barn seemed to buzz with a feeling of energy and optimism. We also did our best to drink the vineyard dry of its Bacchus. Well it was very good.
I’d come alone, wondering whether I’d find my way into a conversation. I needn’t have worried. My table was a lively mix: a potter and sculptor, a vegetable grower, a couple who buy from the lorry and a couple new to the area. Everyone was curious about one another and what had brought us there. Around us, the wider barn hummed with conversation between producers and guests.
I know I can get a little romantic about tasting the flavours of Sussex, but food feels all the more compelling when you can connect it to a place and its people. It’s what I look for on my travels around Sussex, but sharing that feeling with a barn full of strangers makes it all the more powerful. Nothing about the evening was pretentious or false. It was simply good food, good company and a wholesome sense that something important underscored the event.
Good news
The good news is that this won’t be a one off and the Sussex Peasant team are looking at evolving the format for 2027. In the meantime, there will be a Christmas event on 8 December, so watch this space and keep you diary clear.
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