Mindful Chef X Mr Pickle Pickling Workshop at THE PIG-in the South Downs
THE PIG-in the South Downs | Wednesday 24 February 2027Join us at THE PIG-in the South Downs for a deliciously hands-on day celebrating all things pickling, hosted by our very own Mr Pickle and Mindful Chef! Get stuck into a hands-on pickling workshop, discover how to shake things up at a pickled cocktail masterclass, and enjoy a guided tour of THE PIG’s beautiful kitchen garden.
To round off the experience, take a seat for a delicious three-course lunch, featuring one of the very recipes making its way into your Mindful Chef boxes.
11am - 4:30pm
£TBC per person
Book NowAt THE PIGs, working with the seasons and growing our own is part of our DNA. While February might be a quieter time in the Kitchen Garden, our shelves and pickling walls are still full of the fruits of last year's harvest. From jars of pickled vegetables to homemade preserves, making the most of what we grow and using every last bit has been part of our kitchen ethos since day one.
So, this February, we're throwing open the doors to invite you to learn how to pickle and preserve, THE PIG way, with our Group Training Chef, Kamil Oseka (aka Mr Pickle!). Kamil introduced pickling to THE PIG way of life when we opened our very first house in the New Forest back in 2011 – he's the reason you'll always spot pickling walls full of Kitchen Garden produce in every one of our PIGs.
Join us at THE PIG-in the South Downs for a deliciously hands-on day celebrating all things pickling, hosted by our very own Mr Pickle and Mindful Chef's Head of Health, Sasha.
You'll be warmly welcomed into our Garden Room, adjoining the Conservatory Restaurant, where a hot drink and freshly baked pastry will be waiting for you on arrival. You'll also hear a few tales about how Kamil became known as Mr Pickle!
Once you've settled in, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into the wonderful world of pickling!
You'll be preparing a selection of fresh vegetables, learning how to pickle them and discovering the little tricks that make all the difference along the way. With top tips from Mr Pickle, you'll soon be getting to grips with the art of preserving. And the best bit? You'll get to take home two jars of your very own homemade pickles, ready to add a little extra flavour and crunch as a delicious garnish to your Mindful Chef dishes.
Next, Taylor, Bar Manager at THE PIG-in the South Downs, will show you how to shake things up with a cocktail masterclass, where you'll create your very own pickle-inspired tipple. Once you've mastered your mixology skills, you'll take your cocktail out for a little wander on a private tour of our Kitchen Garden, discovering where some of the fresh ingredients that inspire our menus are grown.
Then it's back to the Garden Room, where we'll all gather around one table for a delicious three-course lunch, featuring one of the recipes making its way into your Mindful Chef boxes. There will be generous pours of our very own PIG Cut Wine, a chance to sit back, tuck in, share a few stories and enjoy good food, good wine and even better company. A lovely way to round off the day!
Where & when?
Tuesday 14th April 2026 at THE PIG-in the South Downs
What time?
Arrive at 10.30am – depart at 3:30pm (after lunch)
Settle in and meet your fellow picklers with a hot drink and freshly baked pastries at 10.30am on the outdoor garden terrace, overlooking our very own vineyard, at THE PIG-in the South Downs. Your Kitchen Garden tour will begin at 11am, before heading inside to learn THE PIG way of picking with Kamil. At 1pm, you'll head into the Cellar with Taylor for the Cocktail Masterclass.
Afterwards, you'll tuck into a feasting style lunch about 1.30pm in our cosy Garden Room
How much & what’s included?
£105 per person, which includes teas, coffees and pastries on arrival, a three-course PIG feasting lunch with generous pours of PIG Cut wine or a non-alcoholic Kitchen Garden cocktail, and 2 x 250ml Kilner jars of your handpicked pickled veg to take home with you.
Why not really make the most of it and book a room to stay a while longer and sleepover at ours – so you can relax, enjoy the day and leave the rest to us!
Meet your hosts
Kamil Oseka (aka Mr Pickle!)
Kamil is our longest serving chef, having joined THE PIGs when we first opened our doors in 2011 – and he famously has his own dedicated pickle room behind the kitchen at THE PIG-in the South Downs, and a pickling wall in the restaurant at THE PIG-at Bridge Place; their shelves heaving with a rainbow spectrum of hefty glass jars of his creations. “My nickname here is Mr Pickle – I even have a chef’s jacket with ‘Mr Pickle’ on it!” he says.
“Pickling is a great way to use veg from the garden, especially the wonky ones. It’s what always makes our PIG menus interesting in the winter, because we preserve what was in season in summer – we make jams, marmalades, syrups, compotes and we even use the pickling liquid for our cocktails at the bar. Anyone can pickle; I’m excited to show you how.”
Taylor Marlowe
Taylor has spent the past four years at THE PIG-in the South Downs, working their way through a variety of front-of-house roles before becoming Bar Manager. Along the way, they discovered a real passion for drinks and the role a well-run bar plays in creating a memorable guest experience.
Now as Bar Manager, Taylor looks after the day-to-day running of the bar, from training the team to developing new menus, always with a focus on quality and consistency. Taylor holds WSET Level 2 qualifications in both Wine and Spirits and has a particular love for champagne, cognac, and whisky.
