Topsham businessmen Steve Williams and Pete Woodham-Kay take an ethical stance on eating meat | Photos: Nick Hook
You might think the bosses of a charcuterie company and a barbecue restaurant would be the least likely to advocate eating less meat.
But that’s not the case at Topsham, where the team behind Good Game charcuterie and the Pig and Pallet smokehouse and barbecue restaurant are enthusiastically promoting meat alternatives.
Steve Williams and Pete Woodham-Kay are the co-owners of the sister companies and strive to take an ethical approach to meat consumption.
Explaining why their restaurant at Topsham Quay is now showcasing vegetables and jackfruit in a new vegan menu, Steve says consumer habits need to change.
He says: “Consumer demand for cheap meat has driven the meat industry to over-industrialise the process. Mass-producing meat in huge farms, with hormone-injected cattle being force-fed grain couldn’t be further from natural or sustainable.
“I’m not suggesting we should all become vegan. As omnivores, I think we should take a flexible approach by adopting a plant-based diet supplemented with good quality meat. We should consume meat responsibly with respect to the animal, being mindful of the process that has put it on the plate.
“We’ve always had vegetarian dishes on the menu, but our vegan menu demonstrates what you can do when you take animals out of the equation altogether. We’ve also made our BBQ sauce vegan by replacing beer with cider.”
When it comes to meat purchasing, co-owner Pete Woodham-Kay says: “Our animals have been hand-reared by us, shot or caught locally, or bought from local producers. We buy predominantly from Darts Farm in Topsham, whose extensive fields customers will pass on their way to our restaurant.
“They raise Devon breeds of cattle, which are grass-fed and dry-aged. It’s a sustainable process and we believe delivers the best flavour too.
“What’s more, our money circulates in the local economy for longer, and it’s great that the Darts brothers, as well as Ali and Phil David the butchers, are all frequent customers of ours. We all support each other.”
The Pig & Pallet’s sister organic charcuterie company is founded on traditional Southern Italian principles of using the whole of the animal in the most flavoursome way.
Good Game, who are one of the first manufacturers in the UK to avoid nitrates in their cured meat and charcuterie production, use every scrap of the animal, be it venison, pork, beef or rabbit. They even produce a flavoursome Calabrian spicy meat paste called nduja, which is 80% pork fat.
Going global
The pair behind Good Game and The Pig and Pallet have launched a new venture – opening their first pub a few miles down the river from Topsham.
Steve and Pete have taken on The Globe Inn, a traditional pub in the thriving riverside village of Lympstone.
Steve and Pete say they are keen for The Globe Inn to continue operating as a community watering-hole, serving the thirsty needs of locals and visitors alike.
Steve says: “As our first Good Game pub, we wanted to launch the sort of place where we would go ourselves. I have been drinking in The Globe Inn for 15 years and it has always has a relaxed atmosphere, with great food and drink. We’ve got a terrific team on-board who are all equally passionate about warm hospitality and service.”
Diners can expect a combination of bold flavours, with gutsy mains alongside creative side dishes. Macaroni cheese, charcuterie platters, venison burgers and handmade pies will feature on the menu.
The Globe Inn is open every day, serving lunch Wednesday to Sunday and dinner Tuesday to Saturday evenings.
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