Questions & Answers

Our historic buildings have reached the limit of what they can support and need infrastructure upgrades to trade efficiently and sustainably into the future, and hospitality more broadly is under real pressure right now.

We aren’t immune to the challenges in this industry and the limitations of our venue currently are making it harder than ever to remain viable. Rather than keep patching things together, we've made the difficult decision to pause, review and reset.

Essential building upgrades like a bigger permanent cool room, new trade waste system, mains gas rather than our current gas tanks, and more kitchen improvements; the kind of upgrades that need significant time, money and space to complete properly.

Kitchen Farm's growth has reached the limit of what these historic buildings can support, and hospitality more broadly is under real pressure.

Rather than keep pushing through and trying to do the required business planning and upgrades whilst still trading, we've made the difficult decision to pause, review and hopefully reset.

Whilst we can't commit to a date at this time, we think it will be at least six months. We'll share an update via socials once we're confident of the way forward.

We hope so, but we can't promise that it will at this time, or that it will return in exactly the same form as previously.

We will know more about that in the coming months as we work to improve the buildings and operations so that the next phase is more viable and sustainable in this location.

No. The Directors and investors in Newenham have backed Kitchen Farm from the very start, including financial and business support.

This is about the buildings and making improvements that will benefit the viability and sustainability of hospitality operations, not about Newenham's support.

Kitchen Farm has been one part of that commitment, never the whole of it. Newenham's commitment to bringing genuine community connection to the estate continues regardless of this pause, and the team is actively working through what that looks like while Kitchen Farm is closed.

Yes. Olivia Burke is one of the Directors of Newenham and also founded Kitchen Farm as a way of activating historic buildings for the community and exploring regenerative farming in the transmission open space corridor.

The Kitchen Farm business is completely independent from Newenham. The developers of Newenham have provided support for this business over the past five years.

We've decided not to plant a summer crop this year. We're taking this opportunity of an extended closure to review our approach to community farming as part of the wider plan.

Newenham is also assessing alternative ways to use this land for community benefit. We remain open to talking with experienced growers or producers who may be interested in operating on this land.

Over two years, the garden produced close to two and a half tonnes of food for the kitchen across more than 120 crops, with measurable improvements to soil health along the way, alongside hosting school groups and volunteers.

We'd love to see you before we close. Our final day of trade is Sunday 30 August.

If you can't make it in, email vouchers@kitchenfarm.com.au and we'll discuss the options available to you.

We'll be in touch directly to let you know and help sort things out. If you haven't heard from us and your booking is coming up soon, please email us.

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You can email our team directly at info@kitchenfarm.com.au or direct message us via our social media.