Ben and Kate O’Norum to open second south coast restaurant

Boatyard will act as a sister site to Ben and Kate’s nearby St Leonards-on-Sea restaurant Farmyard, which the pair opened in June 2018.

Set on the gallery’s revamped first floor space, Boatyard will be accessible to those visiting Hastings Contemporary and initially only operate during gallery hours. 

Members of Hastings Contemporary will be able to visit the restaurant with up to three guests, while separate events, such as evening supper clubs, will operate separately and require no entrance fee.

This will also extend to larger groups visiting the restaurant that book in advance.

Boatyard will serve a menu ‘built around local and sustainable ingredients’, with Farmyard head chef Nick Leonard overseeing the kitchen.

Plant-based dishes will feature heavily on the menu, as will fish plates using produce sourced from the Hastings shores.

Alongside the new venture, Ben and Kate will also be growing the offering at Farmyard.

At present the menu there includes Pevensey Salt Marsh lamb chops; Colchester rock oysters; and a vegan strudel with courgette, fennel, olives and heritage tomatoes.

“We are thrilled to welcome Boatyard to the gallery and share our combined interest in the best of contemporary art, sustainability, and food and drink,” says Kim Kish, director of operations at Hastings Contemporary.

“The café will continue to welcome paying visitors, members and their guests, and to attract new people to a host of events, supper clubs, and wine tastings”.

As well as a restauranteur, Ben is also a food journalist and was formerly the editor of the Evening Standard’s ES Going Out magazine.