Skip to content Skip to footer

The Artisan Forest Kitchen

We’re here to share the true story behind the magical gut-healing and immunity-boosting powers of our fermented organic foods.

We’re here to share the true story behind the magical gut-healing and immunity-boosting powers of our fermented organic foods.

Our story

The journey so far...

After over 20 years of struggling with uncomfortable gut issues, endless medications, and a restricted diet due to poor digestion and constant bloating – something had to change. The added hormonal rollercoaster of menopause and weight gain linked to insulin resistance, a need for healing had become undeniable. This realisation sparked the creation of The Artisan Forest Kitchen.

The Artisan Forest Kitchen Tasting Session

Getting Started.

Founder Joanna, who came from a long career in the food, retail, supply chain business, set to work to study fermentation, attend gut-health workshops and develop a delicious organic sauerkraut that she could enjoy several times a week to work towards healing long term gut issues. The experiment worked with a rebuilt gut biome, stronger digestion & immunity, menopausal weight gain dissipated. With no more medication and a broader range of diet choices to be enjoyed as a result. The Artisan Forest Kitchen was born selling her handmade Ruby Kraut on a market stall in Forest Row September 2023 to test the market and share her story.
The artisan forest kitchen market stall

The Next Steps.

Joanna was soon discovered by Seasons Wholefoods in Forest Row and Lewes November 2023 and the rest is history. The Artisan Forest Kitchen moved to a new commercial kitchen in July 2024 and is now a ‘circular’ business with zero waste policy and trusted local supplier in East & West Sussex and Surrey supplying wholefoods, health stores and farm shops with her broad range of delicious and seasonal organic Krauts and Kimchi to suit all palettes.
The Artisan Forest Kitchen Seasons Stall

Our kitchen

Where the magic happens.

Our professional magical commercial kitchen based in Wych Cross, situated in the heart of Ashdown Forest. Gave more room to develop the range and handle larger volumes for new stockists and artisan markets which are still happening today. The new Forest commercial Kitchen boasts a larger fermentation space for the fermentation barrels, Infusion station for our immunity tonics, probiotic vinegars, jar sterilisation space, and storage for collected returned jars from stockists. Outside our Kitchen we have Compost hot boxes for all our veg waste to developed into nutrient rich compost soil.

The Artisan Forest Kitchen
Founder

Joanna Lewars

A seasoned expert with 4 decades of experience – Food/Bevs, Restaurants, Retail, Supply chain, Events & Consulting. Specialising in gut health & Immunity.

Joanna Lewers

Wholesale & stockists

Stock our organic creations.

You can easily stock our organic fermented foods & condiments on your shelves by becoming one of our amazing stockists.

Get in touch with us so we can grow together!