Jay Halford:

My name’s Jay Halford and I’m on a mission; a mission to re-educate people into realising how easy it is to make the transition into feeding their body what is so desperately craves.

My background as a chef and in catering has meant that for me, taste always comes first. I believe that you should recognise every ingredient that is used in a recipe; how they are best combined to create the ultimate taste.

Where did my journey begin? Well, my love of food began at the age of 13; I worked in a busy Italian restaurant, washing pots for what can only be described as a nutcase of a chef with a huge passion for food. It was here that I decided that upon leaving school I would complete an apprenticeship – I did and then got straight into it. I started work at Lords of the Manor, A Michelin Star restaurant close to my home in Cheltenham. There, I met a great friend, Mark; his work ethic was impressive, he showed me his dedication to food and the hard work it entailed.

I won’t lie, after two years of learning everything involved, the long hours and stress became too much. I was beginning to lose my love of being a chef – not of food though, nothing could dispel that. This was a life-changing time as it prompted me to travel the world. You can imagine the variety of foods, juicing and techniques I was exposed to – this just fuelled my love of food even further.

I realised I could still do what I loved doing but in the way that I wanted to do it. It is now a massively growing trend, with many more people now consciously thinking about their health and what they are putting into their bodies.
Returning to Cheltenham, I knew it was time to incorporate my new way of thinking into my life. A personal trainer friend of mine introduced me to raw food and clean living; I was hooked. Adopting juicing and raw foods into my life, it had a profound effect and I wanted to share this with the world. This is when ‘The Core in Cheltenham’ was created.

I continue to run the Core in Cheltenham for 4 years whilst building my personnel brand and getting myself everywhere and anywhere that would have me doing pop up restaurants and workshops. I now for the past 3 years and been very focused on retreats and consultancy catering for groups of health and wellness warriors and helping other businesses to transition to healthier food options.

I have been lucky enough to travel all over the world doing this and now I am super excited to be bring my food back to Cheltenham and host the event at the new NR Social space.

About the Foraged Fellas:

What makes Foraged Fellas special is that we completely immerse the dinners in the experience in an educational and fully interactive dining experience. Guests are invited to come and help plate and help serve ask questions when ever they please. We do serve table side through out the evening also which adds another dimension to the experience. Giving everyone of our guests a unique, warm and intimate seat at the table. Leaving them feeling they were part of something and not just a nice meal.

“James and I have worked on many projects together, and have always had this mutual understanding of how exciting foraging can be.  We really wanted to bring this concept from the outdoors to the table. James is a fantastic chef and his menus will really push the boundaries, and where I think Foraged Fellas stands out from the rest, is this is going to go beyond just dining, but hopefully be educational and inspirational. We definitely want you to come away with full bellies and memories, but also understanding foraging more as we explain every course in detail. We want diners to fully understand where their dish is coming from. – and hopefully, it will inspire people to do get involved in foraging as well”

James Wilson:

Cotswold chef James Wilson has come a long way since his classically trained food journey started in 1998.  He started his career at The Greenhouse working for Gary Rhodes and went on to work in some of the best kitchens across the globe including The Star Inn, Harome,  The Torridan, Scotland and Blanket Bay, New Zealand.  

Up until 2016 his food was described as a modern twist on the french classics but after a chance meeting with foraging expert Chris Belowild and subsequent time spent in Cornwall picking and tasting the indigenous flora and fauna James has brought his foraging knowledge to the table and combined with his technical skills his menus incorporate all that is wild, seasonal and local. 

Having spent the last three years working with some gifted and experimental chefs in the UK and further afield including Dubai, collaborations with Ben Spalding in Singapore and a multi-national street market in China he has found a passion for Asian ingredients. James said “Working with Chefs like Ben and visiting Asia certainly opened my eyes and challenged the way I cook and present my food and given me a great deal of inspiration but for me food is not just about taste it is about evoking and creating great memories.”

In 2017 he was invited to help pull together a team of chefs to cook for ‘Mayhem’ a charitable organisation raising money through dining events that showcase the talent in UK kitchens and the breadth and wealth of ingredients on our doorstep.  James was given a creative free rein and the reviews gave him the impetus to provide foraged feasts for his own clients under the name ‘Madmarshmallow’. 

Excellent reviews follow his events across the UK, he combines his Asian influences and foraged flavours with memories from his childhood and those of his clients to present menus that are not only brilliantly creative but also delightfully playful.  

Jamie Threlfall:

I’’m Jamie Threlfall the front of house side of Foraged Fellas. I have been in the industry all my life. I have worked in all environments but the bulk of my career has been in Rosette and Michelin restaurants. I love what I do and I love what the industry has done for me. The teams I have worked with, the guests I have looked after, it has been amazing. Now it’s time for a change and this is where Foraged Fellas came along with my friend James Wilson.

So a little bit about my back ground. I’m Northamptonshire a called Roade, I went Roade Secondary School, before progressing to Boothe Lane College, where I studied fine art and graphic design. In my spare time, I undertook an extra course studying hospitality.

My passion for food was something I picked up from my mum, a chef at the Roade House Hotel. Like many in the hospitality trade I started working in the industry whilst at college, in fact I worked alongside my mum as a Commis  waiter progressing to Head Waiter. By 2008 I had progressed to the position of Restaurant Supervisor at Tom’s Kitchen with Chefs Tom & Rob Aiken’s on Cale Street, London before moving on to Assistant Restaurant Manager roles at The Hare & Hounds, Tetbury, in 2009 and the acclaimed Devonshire Arms, Bolton Abbey, in 2011.

2012 I went to Australia to visit my brother where I worked as a Restaurant Supervisor at the Adina Vibe, Darwin, further enhancing my skills and knowledge along the way. 2014, I was promoted and back in the UK as the Restaurant Manager at Ellenborough Park, Cheltenham. Summer of 2016 I worked at the Slaughter’s Manor, and after much rumination I decided to make the move to the Lake District as Restaurant Manager of the Samling, Windermere, in summer 2017.

2018 I found myself embarking on a new chapter at the acclaimed Forest Side Restaurant & Rooms, Ambleside, Lake District. I also manage to maintain a healthy interest in wine & spirits in my spare time… perhaps a bit of a bus-man’s holiday you might think… though I’m sure you will agree it’s a very enjoyable one…

NR Social (This Event is Open to Non Members)

Enter through the frosted glass front on Cheltenham High Street and into our exclusive members only hangout. Take a seat in our new space and soak up the atmosphere. NR Social is where you’ll want to spend your daytimes, whether it’s for working, socialising, relaxing or eating.

Our space boasts an atmosphere like no other in town. Enjoy an array of beautifully crafted foods by our resident chef Jay Halford, cold pressed juices or a coffee from our expert baristas in our contemporary, industrial style surroundings.