New deli to open and ‘bring a little bit of happiness’ to Hadleigh

Justin Kett, pictured here when he worked at the Lavenham Swan, hopes to run cookery classes at his new deli in Hadleigh, once it is safe to do so following coronavirus. Picture: Nick Butcher (Image: Archant © 2018)

Justin and Kairi Kett worked in Suffolk hotels until they both lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Kett worked in hotels throughout the county, as head chef at The Swan in Lavenham before becoming executive chef for a group of hotels.

Mrs Kett worked in management at Aldeburgh’s Brudenell Hotel.

The former Pedal House at 55 High Street, Hadleigh, which is being transformed into the Fork Kitchen and Deli. Picture: GOOGLE (Image: Google)

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Now, after both losing their jobs during the pandemic, they are using their skills to open Fork Kitchen and Deli in a former bicycle shop on Hadleigh High Street.

The couple hope to open the deli around the start of November.

Mr Kett, who was named as Suffolk’s chef of the year in 2018, said: “We just want to try and bring something a little bit different to the high street and maybe give a little bit back to the community.

“We’ve lived here for nearly 10 years now and our little girl goes to school here and, in such grim times, we just want to bring a little bit of happiness to our little corner of Hadleigh.”

Fork Kitchen and Deli will sell high-quality, locally-sourced food.

“We’ve got a pasta machine being shipped from Italy at the moment, so we’ll make fresh pasta on site.

“We’ll be making jams, chutneys, pasta sauces. We’re working with an artisan bakery to sort out certain breads for us.

“We’re basing the whole thing around Suffolk as much as we can. All the fruit and vegetables we sell will be from the county – so we won’t be selling asparagus in December.

“Suffolk is like the British larder. We’ve got so many great supplies, so many great ingredients to work with - we just want to get people eating as local as they can.”

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Mr Kett said some of the produce will come from Hadleigh itself.

As social distancing is eased, the deli will move into doing cookery classes and dining experiences.

“I love being a chef,” said Mr Kett. “I love nothing more than teaching and people learning.

“So we want to do cookery schools for children and cookery classes and special dinners and things like that once Covid-19 has subsided a bit.”