A Kalm Kitchen Kafe Tuesday in Guildford
About a year ago, James and Jen Middlehurst took over an existing café in Tunsgate Road, Guildford, formerly named 'Gluten & Glee'.
Having run a successful wedding events company for over nine years and recently been awarded Wedding Caterer of the Year 2016, the couple are understandably very proud of this achievement - and rightly so.
Well, James and Jen didn't take long to turn this little café into an extension of their existing wedding event business, with the spotlight on homemade healthy meals.
As well as their colourful fresh salads, savouries such as the Sweet Potato, Ricotta & Pumpkin Seed Muffin, Salmon, Pesto, Courgette & Couscous pastries they offer an extensive range of coffees, teas, juices, smoothies and beautiful displayed cakes, brownies and flapjacks!
Team Jana, Beau and Andrea were working when I visited, along with Lizzie Putterham, the liaison manager between the café and the main events business, which is located just outside Guildford town centre.
With at least three different brownies on the counter, I really struggled to choose from 'Chocolate & Salted Caramel', 'White Chocolate' (or as they call it a blondies), 'Chocolate, Salted Caramel & Cookie Dough' (the only one that was not gluten free).
The soup on the menu was sweet potato, butternut squash and coconut milk and that is served with bread of your choice. They can cater for a range of diets - vegetarian, gluten-free, and if you let them know you are coming they would do their best with dairy-free options too.
While I was there I tried a delicious Vanilla milkshake and Jana talked me through making the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate, which I did manage to resist trying but it sounded and smelt out of this world.
This is the first Kalm Kitchen Kafe and at the moment there are no plans to expand further; James and Jen want to get it right here first and I felt they are really on their way to success.
Everything is prepared freshly in the main kitchens and then delivered in to the café every morning. Bread (white, granary, sourdough, gluten-free) meat, fish, fruit and vegetables all comes in locally from small businesses, all within a ten mile radius of Guildford - another important factor for the café in what they offer their customers.
While I chatted I tried the PEAFECT juice, which was freshly made while I waited from kiwi, pear,apple, ginger and kale. Excellent! I came back later and joined a friend for lunch so also got to try the array of delicious salads and we were amazed at how good the gluten-free scotch egg was; really tasty.
Kalm Kitchen Kafe is beginning to get a good following from the local university students, particularly students who have more of an interest in healthy eating, and a number of young people from Guildford School of Arts (GSA). During the week the café is constantly busy and while I was there a lot of the regulars came in and it was so nice to hear them be greeted by name. The café offered a very friendly, cosy corner to sit in when it was lashing with rain and cold outside.
Chatting to Beau, he told me he has worked in retail previously and talked about larger chain coffee shops where he felt he was just a robot. He really enjoys working with James and Jen and says it's completely different. He appreciates working as a team with everyone and having a real contribution to the business, whose owners very much take ideas and suggestions on board.
I loved the fact that Jana had decorated the window, quirky but fun. For Beau it is really convenient, just a 10 mins walk away from home, or as he says 'it is home from home' - particularly on a Sunday when you can order breakfast all day, chill with the newspapers and meet friends. Kalm Kitchen Kafe is popular with families on a Sunday and when I read the brunch menu I could understand why.
With a few tables by the main entrance and more seating upstairs the café can cater for private parties, and even have a baby shower booked in soon. And their 'Kalm Evenings' are proving popular with a regular super club.
If you would like more information please visit Kalm Kitchen Kafe