Food champions of Hastings and St Leonards: Savannah Karr, Home Ground Kitchen
What do you do and what’s your mission?
I’m a freelance caterer operating in East Sussex, and I also teach cookery skills to children and young people who are facing challenges in their lives.
Savannah at work
When did you get started, what’s the back story to set up?
I guess you could say I got started as soon as I could eat solid foods as a baby! All my good memories are from times that family and food were involved. My grandmother’s amazing creations, my grandfather’s fresh bread, going to restaurants with my dad have all shaped my food story. I’ve worked in all areas of the industry, running festival cafes in the early days to working in restaurants and bars to setting up a programme that taught cookery skills and budgeting for free. This led to opening a restaurant that would also double up as a workshop space and barista school for youngsters. Then the pandemic hit and we had to stop teaching. We evolved and adapted and kept going thanks to our amazingly loyal customers. In the last two years I’ve gone back to what I love the most, which is directly working with clients and customers to create food events for their special occasions like birthdays and weddings.
What is the change you want to see in Hastings when it comes to your work?
I’d like to see greater diversity in the ownership and running of food/drink businesses in Hastings and St Leonards. I’d also like the hospitality industry to become a safer place for women to work in. Too often, women face intimidation or harassment – whether behind the scenes in kitchens or front of house dealing with inappropriate customers. This imbalance of power needs to change so that everyone can work with confidence.
How do you feel about the food scene in Hastings?
The food and drink scene in Hastings has changed quite a lot over the 23 years I’ve lived here. I love seeing people bring their creativity and passion into the industry, and it’s inspiring to see local producers setting up businesses – whether they’re mushroom growers, brewers, bakers, or cheesemakers. It’s great to see more local produce.
That said, running a restaurant or bar has become increasingly difficult. Rising utility and food costs pose serious threats to small businesses. And while Hastings and St Leonards have become popular destinations for more affluent visitors, it’s important to remember that social deprivation and food poverty remains a very real and often overlooked issue in our town.
What is the best thing about working in food here?
The best thing is the friendliness of local traders and their willingness to collaborate and try new things.
How does what you are doing link to what others are doing in the community?
We have such a variety of fresh produce and dry goods shops in Hastings and St Leonards and I buy local as much as possible. Whether its fresh labneh from Gizum Nur on Norman Road, Kerala pickles and spices from Food Land on Cambridge Road or amazing fresh tofu and pomelos from Sonny and Ling at Oriental Market on Queens Road. I’m also delighted to have a wonderful veg supplier Zoe at Sussex Fruit and Veg, as well as Steve from Stonelynk Organics.
Of those working in Hastings or the region in some part of the food scene is your food champion and why?
My food champions are ALL the people who manage to feed themselves and their families on tiny budgets, the people who cook from scratch or try not to waste, the people who champion the bees or soil health, the people who volunteer in community centres, the people who grow food to share and also everyone who runs a small business. They are all champions.
Instagram: homeground_kitchen Website homegroundkitchen.co.uk
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