Hi, we’re Helen, Clive and Ed — welcome to Sweetpea and The Sweetpea Kitchen.
At the heart of everything we do is simple, honest food. We work closely with local suppliers wherever we can, make as much as possible by hand in our kitchen, and focus on food that looks good, tastes great, and leaves you feeling properly full.
That’s what Sweetpea has always been about.
Sweetpea has been part of our family since 2003, and it really has grown up alongside us. In the early days, it was all hands-on deck — daughter Abi and son Ed earned their pocket money washing up or helping out at events, while grandparents Mac and Faye were always nearby (usually delivering business lunches!).
We started out working from home, before moving in 2012 to our first proper kitchen at Bowden Hill in Lacock.
It was a beautiful spot… but not always the easiest — especially in the snow, when Ed would still cycle up the famous Bowden Hill to get to the kitchen!
From that kitchen, we catered for everything from weddings and school lunches to business events and even had the chance to feed crews on TV shows like Agatha Raisin, as well as an international kayaking festival on the Thames.
In 2018, we made the move to Hartham Park, where we mainly looked after the on-site members. Then in 2021, we decided to try something new and opened Hartham Park Café — which we loved.
Fast forward to 2024, and we’ve found our new home in Bradford on Avon, opening The Sweetpea Kitchen It’s a space that really feels like “us”, and we’re so happy to share it with you.
Each member of the Jackson-Wilding family brings their own unique energy and skillset to the business.
Chef, plant lover, and the creative one — if he’s not cooking, he’s probably watering one of his 47+ houseplants.
The numbers brain of the operation. Happiest with a calculator, a good chick flick, or out walking Lilly.
Started in pot wash at 13, now director. Loves the outdoors and is still working on that move to Cornwall for surfing.
Our golden Lab and official mascot. Usually found snoozing by the bar… or getting as muddy as possible on a walk.
Ever since we started in the catering business we have followed our own strong-held belief: put simple, honest food is at the heart of everything we do.
We’ve proved conclusively that good food is what it takes to succeed in the hospitality sector. We focus on food that looks good, tastes great and leaves you feeling properly satisfied.
We’re fortunate enough to be operating our restaurant in a beautiful market town on the border of Somerset and Wiltshire, surrounded by farming country, with access to rich local produce. This we obtain through trusted local suppliers who can guarantee traceability.
Our local meat, for instance, comes from Downland Produce in nearby Melksham, while our bread (except for the fresh burger baps Clive makes himself daily) is delivered from Hobbs House Bakery in the Cotswolds. Free range eggs are laid at a farm just down the road.
It’s a source of great pride to us not to just pay lip service to sourcing food locally and supporting local producers, but to honestly do so.
We apply the same artisanal principles to everything on our menu, most of which is prepared and cooked by ourselves by hand, from our perfect packed-full pies and Scotch eggs to the chutney on your brie and bacon toastie. Oh – and by the way, our menus themselves are printed on paper made from recycled coffee grounds!
Join us for a relaxed breakfast, leisurely lunch and of course our much-loved, proper pies.
