The three siblings at the heart of Bristol’s food scene

Mealtimes growing up in the Haughton household were a hectic affair, with ten siblings, two foster children and often a few extras crammed around the table.

For Liz, Barny and Phil – each influential in Bristol’s food scene in their own right – these are some of the fondest memories of their Yorkshire childhood, cementing a lifelong connection to produce and its place in people’s lives.

“Mealtimes played a huge part,” says Barny. “Everybody learned to cook at a very early age and we were a bit of a hub for waifs and strays.”

“I remember a friend used to always want our lovely homemade bread,” adds Liz. “We used to crave Mother’s Pride white bread then though.”

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Read more: Celebrating 25 years of Better Food

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Sat with steaming coffees on the comfy sofas inside Better Food in Wapping Wharf on a recent morning, the trio are reminiscing about where it all started for them – and poring over the logo design for Liz’s newest venture, Bowl of Plenty in Colston Hall.

A pioneer of organic produce at a time when farms were focussed on mass production, Phil set up his current business originally as a food box delivery venture from his St Werburgh’s kitchen in 1992.

Better Food now has three locations: in St Werburgh’s, Whiteladies Road and, most recently, Gaol Ferry Steps in Wapping Wharf.

Better Food in Wapping Wharf is one of three across Bristol

Before Better Food, Phil ran an organic food shop on Gloucester Road, credited as being the first of its kind outside of London.

“The market was so undeveloped, I had to go out to the farms myself, sometimes getting up at 3am to drive to get the produce back to the shop,” says Phil.

Acclaimed chef Barny moved down to Bristol in the 1980s and, from 1989, ran Rocinantes on Whiteladies Road – a tapas bar that was something of a Bristol institution at the time – then Quartier Vert on the same premises.

Now the director of Square Food Foundation, and an outspoken advocate of organics, Barny admits he was less loud and proud about where his produce came from in the early days, explaining that organic was often perceived as lesser in quality and “a bit smug”.

“We only came out about our organic produce in 1992,” he says. “I joined forces with Peter on the pioneering front and wanted to talk about why restaurants should be taking organics more seriously.”

Bristol24/7 partnered with Barny Haughton and The Square Food Foundation for the Young Chefs programme, with saw young people get hands-on experience at food businesses across Bristol

Barny opened Bordeaux Quay restaurant and cookery school in a converted warehouse on the harbourside in 2006. It was a trailblazing establishment that achieved national acclaim as the UK’s first ‘eco restaurant’, before eventually closing its doors in 2017 and is now Revolucion de Cuba.

Barny left Bordeaux Quay in 2009 to focus on the Knowle West-based Square Food. “Teaching is in my blood,” admits Barny, whose dad was a teacher and mum a lecturer.

“We wanted to give kids a chance to get into something. Every class we teach at Square Food is underpinned by that thinking and philosophy.”

Liz first came to join her brothers in Bristol in 1995. It was in 2005 that she seized the opportunity to take on running the Folk House Cafe on Park Street and she hasn’t looked back, adding Spike Island Cafe to her portfolio three years ago – and now the newly-opened Bowl of Plenty.

“I couldn’t resist the opportunity,” says Liz. “Up to that point, I had been working for Phil – there was no option really other than to go organic. I am really proud of the Folk House Cafe now.”

A selection of food on offer at Bowl of Plenty, the newest cafe from Liz Haughton

As they continue to thrive in their respective fields, the Haughtons show no signs of dropping their long-term campaign for organics.

In fact, as Barny puts it: “I get more radical as I get older.” Expressing frustration at how slow suppliers and food journalists have been to get on board with organic produce, he adds: “There still seems to be a disconnect between soil health and human health.

“The price we are paying for processed food is playing out every day.”

Despite the slow pace of change, the three believe that the UK could be at a pivotal point in terms of connecting soil health with human health.

With rumours of a book or two in the offing, and the possibility of working together on a future project, there’s plenty to look forward to from this passionate triumvirate.

Read more: Learning how to be a chef in Knowle West