Blog

Return to Blog
Tuesday 21st May 2019

Celebrating five years of The Kentish Hare



May has been a landmark month for The Kentish Hare, with our Bidborough restaurant officially celebrating its fifth year of trading. To commemorate the milestone event, we celebrated in true Tanner style by hosting a special birthday taster evening, inviting a selection of our longest and most loyal customers, who have been dining with us since day one.

“The last five years have been such an incredible experience, and it was great to see so many familiar faces and new people come out on the night,” says co-owner Chris Tanner, reflecting on the memorable evening. “The response has been fantastic, and five years on, we’re still going strong.”

Adds brother James, who took on the restaurant with Chris in 2014: “It’s been an amazing five years since we opened, and we’ve got a wonderful team behind us. We’re only as successful as the people we work with, and our staff in Kent and the South West are all exceptional.”

For the occasion, Chris and James joined head chef David Boswell in the Kentish Hare kitchen, along with senior chef de partie Stephen Ferrari and sous chef Kieran Farquhar, to serve up a mouth-watering five-course menu. Using the very best seasonal produce from Kent and Devon, the team took turns in presenting each dish to 40 hungry guests, before bringing their creations to the pass.

Kicking off with cured Loch Duart salmon and Exmoor Caviar with chicken liver parfait and crab bonbon, the dinner went on to include pressed rabbit and guinea fowl terrine, followed by native lobster raviolo, Merrifield Farm chicken breast, and a 75% Tanzania chocolate delice. And with an apple and yoghurt palate cleanser to enjoy in between, our diners were nothing short of delighted.

“I first came here on the opening night in 2014, and have been to every taster evening since,” reveals nearby resident Mike. “I’ve never, ever had a bad meal here, and the staff are all brilliant as well. They’ve got it just right, and I still love coming to this day.”

“The team are so accommodating, and always make us feel comfortable and right at home whenever we visit,” agrees local regular Becky. “It’s become our home from home; the food is to die for, and we’ve gotten to know the people who work here like family.”

With such a communal feel, The Kentish Hare has certainly become a second home to many of our frequent patrons. Along with their previous site, the Barbican Kitchen in Plymouth, Tanner Brothers James and Chris have cultivated a dedicated community of loving and supportive foodies, while continuing to welcome fresh faces and first-timers through their doors each year.

And with 2019 also marking two decades in the trade for the Tanners – more on that later – it’s certainly been a whirlwind adventure for these successful siblings so far. But there’s still lots to come this year, as the Kentish Hare team gear up for year two of Pub in the Park, monthly taster events, and plenty of further developments besides. We’re not ones to rest on our laurels, that’s for sure…

“It’s a big thing for us to be here five years on,” Chris concludes. “There’s a lot of love in our kitchen, and we’re all very close as a team. We work so closely with our staff and crew every day, and while it might be five years for The Kentish Hare, it’s 20 years in business for James and I, so it’s great that our customers are all part of our journey, and there beside us through our journey together going forward. Long may it continue!”