The story
In the quiet village of Kilndown, deep in the Kent Weald, The Small Holding occupies a building that was once the stables of a seventeenth-century coaching inn. That connection to the land runs through everything here. Opened in 2018 by brothers Will and Matt Devlin, the restaurant has earned national recognition, including a Michelin Green Star. It is a place where the seasons dictate the menu, and the menu comes almost entirely from the acre of biodiverse farm that surrounds it.
The story begins with the brothers’ commitment to low-intervention, organic farming. They grow 180 varieties of produce on site, using no-dig methods that protect soil structure and build fertility. “We spend time walking around the farm,” Will says. “We go outside and see for ourselves how much there is of each ingredient.” This daily observation shapes the changing set menus – a celebration of what is ripe, fresh and flavourful right now. The kitchen preserves, ferments and pickles to extend the season, but the core principle is natural, seasonal Modern British cooking that lets the ingredients speak.
Guests choose from the Full Acre tasting menu (seven courses), the Half Acre (five courses) or the more concise Garden Menu (three courses, available at lunch and selected evenings). Each is built around produce harvested that week. Pork comes from a rare-breed, low-intervention farmer just up the road. The wine list mirrors the ethos, sourcing from organic and biodynamic vineyards that practise responsible farming. Pairings are offered for both wine and soft drinks, each chosen to complement the flavours coming from the farm.
The atmosphere is that of a rural retreat – the building retains its historic character, while the team is close-knit and passionate. The restaurant also offers educational courses, a chance for guests to get their hands in the soil and understand the journey from seed to plate. As Will puts it, “We are just a small case study about what you can do in an acre.” That acre, combined with a deep respect for the land and its community, makes The Small Holding a quietly remarkable place to experience the best of seasonal, farm-to-table dining.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
The winner of our 2020 'Chef to Watch' award has justified the faith we had in him. Not only has Will Devlin opened another restaurant in the area (Birchwood at Flimwell), but he's also built up the marvellously rural Small Holding as a destination with a fondly loyal following. Readers are impressed by the unflustered efficiency with which it is run, and the measurable sense of refinement that has taken place in the cooking. The multi-course menu changes daily, and while the lack of choice may not suit everyone, there’s no doubting the quality of ingredients. What hasn’t been grown or reared on the one-acre plot (on splendid view from the large terrace fronting the simple white-painted building) is sought from small-scale sustainable artisan producers in the area. Nor does the cooking pile on ingredients or decorative bits for the sake of it, but concentrates on essentials. At one meal, a Maldon rock oyster was served with an ‘exceptional’ lovage cream, perfectly timed halibut came teamed with fermented wild garlic, sea herbs and a ‘sweet and delicate’ sauce made with Squerreyes sparkling wine and chives, while hogget (two-year-old lamb) served various ways – pink rump with tenderstem broccoli, sweetbreads glazed with honey, a brioche bun made with hogget fat and stuffed with lamb shoulder – was beyond reproach. Desserts tend to stick to a theme of iced and crumbed things, though an apple sorbet offset by some aged cider vinegar and sprinkled with powdered pine was a masterful play of sweetness and acidity. An enticingly broad-minded, well-sourced wine list includes a good selection of Kentish labels.
3 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
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