Jack in The Green - Sourcing Local Food and Produce

Commitment to Supporting Local Business and Sourcing Quality Fresh Food

The Jack In The Green needs little or no introduction to those in the know. Our philosophy is simple; to serve the best of Devon’s produce in comfortable surroundings with more than a dash of good old fashioned hospitality. We deliberately eschew the term Gastro pub and after sixteen years continue to remain extremely focussed on the individual elements that make our experience so unique. We have been careful not to make the Jack in the Green exclusively a dining venue or to exclude families. Instead, regular customers have come to expect a consistent level of imaginative cooking and as a team we feel the price of our meals reflects the true value of local food. We know that without the support of the dozen or so dedicated suppliers we are extremely lucky to have, none of this success would have been possible. Whether you drop in for a pint of Otter or to try the Totally Devon menu, one simple word still underpins everything we do. CARE.

Environment
A structured approach to grow the business sustainably has seen its transformation from a run down, roadside pub to a multi accoladed dining pub and ambassador for local produce. We now actively promote the use of sustainable fish like pollock and ling instead of cod and use hand-dived scallops from Lyme Bay rather than those that are dredged. Several of our suppliers are organically certified and this has huge positive repercussions for local wildlife and fauna. We recycle all our glass and work with an individual who solidifies our waste cooking oil that then becomes car fuel. All our products are sourced from trusted local suppliers, many of whom have developed close, well-established working relationships with Head Chef Matthew Mason. These farmers, smallholders and artisan producers in turn keep the surrounding countryside in the pristine state we have become used to seeing. We strongly believe that the relationship between rural food production and tourism is symbiotic and is one that needs to be protected.

Local Support
As a rural business how we spend our money directly impacts the community around us. We have always shunned cheaper imports from unregulated countries because we believe our guests want an authentic rural experience that comes from a working landscape. Our ties and support for the local community go beyond the food we serve. In October 2007 we were delighted to embark on an exciting partnership with West Hill Primary School to teach the children about food miles, freshness and seasonality. Frequent and fun trips to places like Darts Farm and Quickes Cheeses are underpinned by Matthew teaching new skills such as bread making. The Jack is also proud to support the Wooden Spoon – the Rugby Association's charity that supports mentally, physically and socially disadvantaged children and young people – and in 2007 we raised £1,713 by donating 50 pence from every sticky toffee pudding sold.

Local Produce
The numerous accolades collected over the years are testament to Matthew’s vision and the skill of the powerhouse kitchen he leads. Food provenance has always been fundamental to the experience and the new Totally Devon menu takes this ethos one step further. Competitively priced at just £25 for three courses, it highlights individual suppliers by name and keeps food miles to a minimum. Small artisan producers such as John Rowswell, Mary Quicke and Paul and Carolyn Bellinger are chosen as they guarantee seasonality, integrity and freshness. We support two specialist Devon micro breweries, Otter and O’Hanlon’s, and purchase approximately £2,500 of award winning apple juice per year from the nearby Four Elms Fruit Farm. A well-hung Limousin / South Devon X of beef is supplied by Steve at Country Farm Butchers of Ottery St. Mary, venison comes direct from Exmoor, whilst pheasant, wild duck, partridge and pigeon all come from local shoots.

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