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Camp Bestival

August 4, 2011 13 Comments Filed Under: Uncategorized

Till on an ironing board, The Underground Restaurant at Camp Bestival
Till on an ironing board, The Underground Restaurant at Camp Bestival
Backstage 
 Sign painter
 Sign painter
 Putting up umbrellas outside
 Putting up umbrellas outside
 Barbie production line: crystallising rose petals
 Barbie production line: crystallising rose petals
 There is no end to the use of this ironing board. Drying rose petals in the sun.
 There is no end to the use of this ironing board. Drying rose petals in the sun.
 Open air washing up
 Open air washing up
 Wristbands and cheese cutting...
 Wristbands and cheese cutting…
 Empty marquee
 Empty marquee
A farmer loads in the redwood tables...
A farmer loads in the redwood tables…
 Living room graveyard where we got our sofas and armchairs..
 Living room graveyard where we got our sofas and armchairs.. My sister had the onerous task of trying to work out a rota.
 My sister had the onerous task of trying to work out a rota.
 The menu
 The menu
 Putting in the sinks
 Putting in the sinks
 Setting up a kitchen
 Setting up a kitchen
 Laying tables
 Laying tables
 My restaurant
 My restaurant

It’s quite a step up, going from 30 covers once a week to 450 in four days over nine sittings. I was, quite frankly, cacking myself at the prospect. I’ve been preparing since February, in between the book launch, a film supper club night for Sony pictures, a grapefruit trip to South Africa, the Maille mustard pop up in Spitalfields, the Georgian meal at Blacks, trips to Leeds, Warwickshire and Manchester (for Woman’s hour).

Months spent researching where to get my signature French Napoleonic reproduction glasses in Britain, asking Rachelle Blondel to make 500 shabby chic fabric napkins (no laundry facilities on site see?), contacting Dorset producers (“ooh no we don’t deliver my lover”), finding a kitchen hire company (what is a Jack Stand? I’ll get one. Actually it wasn’t useful), assembling a larger staff than I ever had (so many drop outs, even en route, flaky bastards), trying to persuade Aga to pull their finger out of their complacent butt to provide a mobile Aga for bread baking (look you middle class, middle England twats, it’s free marketing, to an ABC1 clientele, geddit?) which, having been given the run around for months, was a definitive ‘no’ only 4 days before the event (“maybe Bestival?” “NO, I’ve had enough, fuck you”).

Sometimes it felt as if I were in Groundhog day; setting up an account with a supplier, being told it was all done, checking back a week later and nothing had been done. Stuff like that drives me spare.
The last week or so, things started to come together finally. I was greatly helped in sourcing ingredients by Tansy Austin, who has a Dorset supper club and a freakishly large vintage pinny and tablecloth collection and Tony Carey, a professional ‘procurer’ of products for top restaurants. Tony became known as the ‘hugmeister’. He has special hugging psychic powers: by clasping you to his lungs he can detect all kinds of things about your character. He set up a memorable meeting with a ‘disposables’ salesman: two hours of looking at cardboard containers, some with windows, and various throwaway cups. I learnt that waxed cardboardey style cups, that look so eco friendly, aren’t. You can’t scrape off the wax bit so it goes into landfill. Plastic is actually better. The salesman was a former punk drummer who claimed that the disposables business was more rock n roll.

Arriving on site Tuesday evening, we drove straight up to our marquee, a football field sized space which daunted and impressed. We organised the kitchen area, the back stage of plating up tables, staff tea and coffee table, unpacked vintage crockery and cutlery. Our first service was Thursday evening and we wanted to get ahead. Work started on 500 rose and orange flower water kulfis and Dorset rose petals were crystallised in a production line.

The Thursday night dinner looked okay from the customer side but two tables were left without saffron potatoes, miscommunication between front of house and kitchen and a poor hierarchy. “You are all wankers!” I shouted “You’ve let me down”. The pro chefs, used to working in restaurant kitchens, didn’t bat an eyelid, in fact I’d wager that Kiren Puri looked at me with sudden love in his eyes. However poor Tansy, who usually works in the low confrontation environment of a small café, had tears in hers: “I didn’t realise you were like this… I thought you were nice” she said sniffing “I didn’t sign up for this”.

After service, a debrief and pep talk, reorganisation of the kitchen hierarchy, Kiren Puri was appointed head chef, we moved the bar area to the front, made it bigger, easier to serve from, and moved tables further apart so that waitresses didn’t trip up.

By Friday lunchtime we were going at a cracking pace. Tempura courgette flowers were served fryer hot to everyone, plates were pretty, customers were happy. Three services a day, lunch time, dinner time and midnight, for Friday and Saturday, were exhausting. Hollow eyed staff grazed on leftovers, no time to sit.

Kids! I’d developed a children’s menu, French style, with only two courses and including a drink (locally grown apple juice). I soon realised that in Britain, you can’t keep hungry kids waiting while the adults eat. We added a smiley pizza face starter.

The Saturday evening sitting was booked by Rob Da Bank and his wife Josie, and it was sleb studded: Laura Marling, Groove Armada, Jo Whiley, Keith Allen. The latter sang a song dedicated to me and he’s going to sell Keith’s chutney chuckles at our next Underground Farmer’s Market.

 Courgette flower sprinkled with lavender honey
 Courgette flower sprinkled with lavender honey 
 I sold lots of copies of my book
 I sold lots of copies of my book
 Salmon with vine leaves, jasmine rice, salsa verde
 Salmon with vine leaves, jasmine rice, salsa verde
 Specially imported prosecco, red and white, from La Gioiosa
 Specially imported prosecco, red and white, from La Gioiosa
 Rose and orange flower water kulfi
 Rose and orange flower water kulfi
 Cheese board with biscuits by Fudges.
 Cheese board with biscuits by Fudges.
Fudges, my favourite cheese biscuits, happen to come from Dorset. They adorned the cheese boards.
Fudges, my favourite cheese biscuits, happen to come from Dorset. They adorned the cheese boards.
 Beautiful guests...
 Beautiful guests…
 This one had fun…
 A cute sofa squatter.
 A drawing of dinner
 A drawing of dinner
 Even adults had face painting
 Even adults had face painting
 MsMarmite takes a nap, wrapped in a table cloth. Oh the glamour...
 MsMarmite takes a nap, wrapped in a table cloth. Oh the glamour…
 Head chef Kiren and waitress Gemma behind the scenes.
 Head chef Kiren and waitress Gemma behind the scenes.
 Jessica serving happy customers.
 Jessica serving happy customers.
 Jo Whiley and friends enjoying supper.
 Jo Whiley and friends enjoying supper.
 Keith Allen sings to me.
 Keith Allen sings to me.
 Flower pot desserts.
 Flower pot desserts.
 The Groove Armada kids.
Staff behave differently at festivals, some go a bit native
 Staff behave differently at festivals, some go a bit native. Kiren started cross dressing during service. 
 A Marmite portrait!
 A Marmite portrait!
 Rob Da Bank.
 Rob Da Bank.
 Ros came and waitressed. She didn’t really fit our style, so my sister Imogen dolled her up. Well she didn’t need asking twice! Every day she turned up more and more glamourously dressed
 Sister on the go.
 Believe it or not, I’m the quiet one of the family. My sister again.
 Dancing on the tables to 'Those were the days my friend"
 Dancing on the tables to ‘Those were the days my friend”
 Kids flower pot desserts
 Kids flower pot desserts
 Tom Baker and Larry Lush
 Tom Baker and Larry Lush

Accordionist Tom Baker and keyboardist Larry lush provided ramshackle French music and drinking songs: the last Sunday sitting, everyone, staff and kids climbed upon the 16 foot redwood trestle tables and danced to ‘vodka, vodka, vodka’.

Thanks to Katie Maddison and Ella of Bestival and to John Hughes of Get Involved, Peppermint’s Alex and Josie and Rob Da Bank for having the courage to put this on. Thanks to my sister Imogen for helping me organise on site, my daughter Sienna for working so hard and all the staff, particularly in the kitchen: Chantal Hintze, Nicola Baker, Frank Fforde, Kiren Puri, James Benson, Tony Carey, Tansy Austin who worked beyond the call of duty and didn’t get too mashed up.

If you want to book for Bestival, go here: http://www.bestival.net/what-else/kerstin-rodgers-the-underground-restaurant-new It’s gonna be rock stars, pop stars and divas!
Volunteers needed.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. The Magatha

    August 4, 2011 at 1:41 pm

    Just brilliant! What an achievement – everything looks amazing!

    Reply
  2. Rachelle

    August 4, 2011 at 2:26 pm

    Looked absolutely bloody fabulous Kerstin rock on bestival & napkins looked totally fabulous even tho i say so myself….:)

    Reply
  3. Jules

    August 4, 2011 at 3:30 pm

    Looks like an amazing event! I think I need to borrow some kids for next year's Camp Bestival

    Reply
  4. Gwyneth

    August 4, 2011 at 3:32 pm

    Fabulous kitchen and restaurant in a field, we were there and so sorry we couldn't join you for dinner, next year….(if you can face it). Love all the insider details of how it happened. Reminder to me next time I feel like I've bitten off more than I can chew that funnily enough it all comes together in the end with a bit of pizazz and a lorra hard work.

    Reply
  5. laundryetc

    August 4, 2011 at 3:58 pm

    Massive massive admiration. Just reading this I feel I've been through a big stress fest. I suppose it's similar to what they say about fire walking. If you can carry that lot off you can do anything….

    Reply
  6. Lynn

    August 4, 2011 at 6:56 pm

    I take my hat off to you Kerstin, what an achievement. #Brilliant #amazing You must be beyond shattered. Hope you manage to have a bit of a break to recover.

    Reply
  7. federilli

    August 4, 2011 at 10:33 pm

    What a post! The stress and the fun of the event 🙂 well done, you must be' so proud…

    Reply
  8. James

    August 5, 2011 at 1:16 am

    So it did really happen then?
    Damn – missed the best days (Fri & Sat).
    Think Tansy got the idea on Wednesday night when you barked at her for losing a load of vine leaves she'd brought from her garden. That's just the way it is when there's so much going on…..

    As aga are no good what about Everhot? It would be a good feature – if it fits with the next theme though.

    Shame you couldn't employ Imogen as a full time PA…..

    Reply
  9. The Curious Cat

    August 6, 2011 at 12:27 pm

    Wow! Looks AMAZING! Will be catching up with you properly v v soon! So cool though!!! xxx

    Reply
  10. GG

    August 6, 2011 at 3:13 pm

    Wow what an amazing feat of organisation. It looks fantastic and I love the vintage tableware. GG

    Reply
  11. Lucy

    August 9, 2011 at 12:20 pm

    ahhhh.. your first festival gig. makes us Oooh La La lot look not so mad and disorganised after all eh?! And watch yourself… those boutique festival goers/organisers can bite back!

    Reply
  12. The Beach Hut Cook

    August 11, 2011 at 9:19 am

    This is looks fab and a lot of work! I hope you got to enjoy the festival as well. I blogged about our visit to the festival and love love loved it. Having a Calvin Harris breakfast with our teenagers is one for the memory bank. http://www.thebeachhutcook.com x

    Reply
  13. Catering Equipment Hire

    March 3, 2017 at 4:51 pm

    Looks like you had an absolutely amazing (if stressful at times) festival!

    Reply

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MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

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Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
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