celebrating 15 years of...
PIG Partners, PIG People, and you – our loyal PIG friends
This autumn, we’re allowing ourselves to get just a little bit sentimental. We’ll be looking back at some of the dishes, people, places and stories that have made THE PIG what it is - and raising a glass to toast us into our next 15 years and beyond!
Goodness, where did those 15 years go?
When we opened the doors to the very first PIG in the New Forest in 2011, we had a very clear idea, but certainly no grand plan. It all started in the Kitchen Garden: put homegrown and local food at the heart of everything, strip away the fuss and create the sort of place we would genuinely want to spend time in ourselves.
Fifteen years, nine hotels (and another one on the way), a pub - and somewhere in the region of ten million seedlings later - here we are.
It has all been built in a very PIG way: sleeves rolled up, hands dirty and nobody too important to carry a chair.
Antiques have been squeezed into the backs of cars, countless hours have been spent learning and training in our Kitchen Gardens, and swatches upon swatches of fabric have been pored over to find exactly the right shade of green. Thousands of mismatched plates, glasses and pieces of cutlery have been collected… and there have been some fairly serious parties along the way.
We’ve harvested more vegetables than we could ever hope to count, welcomed generations of apprentices through our Kitchens, written two books, celebrated 10 years of festivals and now begun a whole new season of Garden Parties.
We’ve supported causes close to our hearts and have been lucky enough to welcome truly wonderful guests from every corner who have eaten, stayed, celebrated, wandered through a Kitchen Garden – or simply settled into a sofa and made themselves at home.
We hope you’ll join us to toast to the journey so far...
...whether following along on our socials as we take a trip down memory lane, or in person at our very special 15-Year event at THE PIG in the New Forest.
After all, there’s plenty of celebrating to do, corks to pull… and a rather large birthday cake to eat!
It’s never been just about us
Everything we do across THE PIGs is rooted in supporting our local communities and celebrating the extraordinary people around us – and it always will be.
We have been lucky enough to call growers, farmers, fishermen, winemakers, craftspeople and local suppliers our neighbours: local people who share our belief that the best things come from close to home.
Here’s a little peek into the characters and partners that have helped make the homegrown tapestry of our 15-year journey – and are still at the beating heart of what makes our PIGs such special, comfortable and delicious places to be today…
The people who made THE PIG, THE PIG…
From the very beginning, THE PIG was always a family affair. Together with their own family, our founders, Robin and Judy, set the tone: warm, generous, informal and always deeply personal.
Over the years, the PIG family has grown in all sorts of lovely ways. Friendships have been made, romances have blossomed, marriages have happened and a whole new generation of PIG babies have arrived.
A hearty handful of our PIG people started where it all began at THE PIG in the New Forest and almost all our Head Chefs and Hotel Directors have risen through the ranks over our 15 years. They are still the ones today at the helm of every dish, every tipple, and every joyful, relaxing, fun experience we can’t wait to spoil you with when you come to our place.
Here’s a glimpse into their stories…
Fifteen years of unforgettable flavours
To commemorate our big birthday, a careful handpick of PIG classic dishes are returning to our 25 mile menu this autumn: proper ‘unmistakeably PIG’ plates that were served on our very first foodie line-up 15 years ago by the chefs who pioneered them – and who are still leading our flavours, our menu and our passion for the next 15 and beyond.
From the Bath Chap that made us famous to Lex’s Mint Mousse that’s still worth making room for, here’s a flavour of the comebacks you can look forward to this September.
As summer begins to hand over the reins to autumn, we’ll be going back to our roots across our restaurants with a daily-changing lunchtime menu championing the cooking that’s been our bread and butter since day one: making the most of what’s in season, celebrating what’s ready to harvest that morning and using everything up.
No two days are the same and two menus are the same. A real celebration of 15 years of Kitchen Garden gluts, back-door deliveries, pickle jars, preserves, whole-animal cooking… and making every last bit count. It's a line-up shaped by each PIG’s garden, their local suppliers and whatever good things come their way that day.
*Available Monday 7th Sep until Friday 23 October 2026
15 Years of THE PIG: Stories from the Kitchen Garden
THE PIG | Sunday 4 October 2026For one very special afternoon, we’re taking over the restaurant for a long, celebratory lunch and conversation with five of the original gang who opened our very first PIG in 2011 – and have shaped the way we grow, source and cook ever since. Join us to hear old friends swapping stories about the big ideas, the hands-on graft… and a few PIG tales that haven’t been told before.
£120 per person includes lunch, drinks & more
The Next Chapter
Our 15-year anniversary is very much a moment, not a full stop – there’s plenty to look forward to just around the corner.
The latest addition to our litter, THE PIG-on the farm, has been quietly waiting in the wings for a few years now, evolving behind the scenes and getting ready to open its doors in 2027 to take us into our next chapter.
There’s plenty in store throughout autumn to celebrate how far we’ve come on our PIG path. Keep your eyes peeled on our social channels and sign up to our database to come along for the ride. Thank you for being with us along the way!
