Laid out under the trees on a glorious summer evening stretches an impossibly long table for more than 100.
The scent of woodfired spiced chickens is in the air, there's guitar music, chilled cocktails, and a vista of wildflower meadows that makes it hard to believe you're just minutes from a tube stop.
It's the launch of Home Farm's annual Woodfired Canteens, and tonight Golders Green-raised Josh Katz, the chef behind Carmel in Queen's Park, Berber and Q in Haggerston, and Islington's Shawarma Bar, is joining canteen regular Ben Quinn to run the four course feast.
Quinn has sourced fresh Cornish mackerel, smoked it, filleted it and served it on a lettuce leaf with a sweet-sharp salsa of pickles. It's a lovely appetiser as you sip your cocktail on a hay bale, and the Mojito decanted from a can into an ice filled glass is surprisingly good.
We're ushered to the table and served Katz's signature home made hummus, with chick peas, apricot harissa, crunchy crudites and flatbreads. Feasts like this are all about getting to know new people, and we are soon sharing stories about kids, jobs, and life alongside generous dishes of food.
The main course of a juicy firecooked spatchcock chicken shawarma with confit garlic came with potatoes dressed with zhug creme fraiche, a butter lettuce with tahini vinaigrette, and skinned pepers with lemon and coriander.
These are big, summery flavours for a warm evening and the idylic setting just makes it all better. As the sun sets, a semolina cake arrives with a lovely orange blossom and vanilla cream.
Diners can buy drinks from the Horse Box bar and retire to the hay bales post meal. More wild feasts run later in the year with Noor Murad of Ottolenghi on September 11th, Karan Gokani Co-founder of Sri Lankan specialists Hoppers Restaurants on September 13, and award winning River Cottage chef and food writer Gill Meller on September 14, all cooking up dinners with the Woodfired Canteen team.
Tickets are £78 and include a welcome drink, pre-dinner nibble, and three-course seated dinner served on sharing platters.
But Home Farm is more than a dining destination. Not only do they run glamping bell tents throughout the summer, but there is music and comedy in the woods.
Past performers have included Oscar-nominated actress Jess Buckley singing with Suede's Bernard Butler.
On July 16, comics Lou Sanders and John Robins will be taking to the woodland stage while on July 13, there's music from LA jazz singer and composer Laufey, and country music duo The Shires on July 14. Ronnie Scotts Blue's Explosion is on August 28.
All events include an intimate gig and pre-show supper by Soul Deli.
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