#129 Hamish Martin - The Secret Garden - Edinburgh
Hamish is a brave soul who at the age of 41, with his own business and a career working around the wine and whisky trade decided that his number one love in the world was plants. Not only was he brave enough to sell the business, he was crazy enough to have no idea where his next adventure would take him. He pretty much let the plants decide. He went off on a learning journey meeting an inspirational medicine man along the way. A dream and a country walk and soon enough he’d stumbled across a beautiful plot of land not far from the city. Well, dilapidated and covered in weeds may have been a better description for most, but for Hamish, it was a vision of beauty and he convinced his wife, 4 kids and five dogs to live in a mobile home on the land and create something beautiful.
Now he has a distillery, a cafe, a herb garden, an owl, an actual house and an incredible story to tell. Along with products in M&S, Fortnum and Mason and more. Unlike most in hospitality Hamish sees a herb as medicinal rather than culinary. His description of a dandelion will make you see the plant and the universe through new eyes. His willingness to go on a journey with no plan will inspire you to be brave and take risks and follow your heart, perhaps more than your head. He’s also about to convince you to stop feeling guilty about not mowing your lawn enough, and that alone is a great reason to listen.
Whatever you are doing, enjoy the image of Hamish and his owl, in a tree house, overlooking his garden, yet still nailing being yet another wonderful human of hospitality.
Humans of Hospitality
Humans of Hospitality is a weekly podcast, showcasing stories and insights from the world of hospitality – the human beings rather than the big brands behind our food and drink. You’ll hear from the producers of ingredients and the people who combine those ingredients to bring you new dishes and drinks… and the owners of the bars, cafés and restaurants who create memorable settings, so you recall your mouth-watering meals years later. They are the people who bring vibrancy to their corner of hospitality and, who, as a group, make all our lives richer and more interesting.
Each week brings a new inspiring story. We are exploring hospitality in its broadest sense. Farming, politics, culture, cooking, nutrition, welfare, family, business, love and more. Wether you’re a famous figure or total unknown, if you love hospitality and have something important to say, chances are we’ll end up having a conversation. We want to explore the fair production of food, protecting the planet and humanity, whilst tasting awesome. It’s going to be quite the adventurous conversation.
If you want a world of formulaic and dull corporate sameness this is not the podcast for you. If you’d like to learn about amazing human beings who dedicate their lives to making the world of food, drink and hospitality more diverse for our daily enjoyment, please listen.
In showcasing these stories, founder and presenter Mark Cribb, wants to tip the balance back in favour of independent businesses: “Where we spend our money genuinely makes a difference to the kind of world we live in. So let’s at least make our world interesting.”
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