Some of my earliest childhood memories were of food - my parents both worked in air travel but refused to eat the terrible airplane food so instead made incredible meals using home-grown vegetables with inspiration from the far off places they visited. And of course I was the official taster!
I loved spending my free time in the sea, cycling country lanes or hiking the hills around my West Coutry home and it was here that I began to understand the connection between good food, a healthy body and a balanced mind.
Fast-forward to my first job in the city and I was constantly exhausted. The food I ate was for convenience but I quickly realised it was doing me no good, so inspired by my memories of the delicious food my parents made and the boundless energy I had, I started cooking my own lunches. Before long I was cooking for half the office too and it was there that Soulful was born.
Since then we’ve grown, and now you can get Soulful in supermarkets as well as from our airstream Betsy when we tour festivals up and down the country. But one thing hasn’t changed - our food is always made from great ingredients, by hand so you get tasty and nutritious meals that nourish your body and soul.
Iain Burke-Hamilton, Founder
Our Soulfulisms
KEEP IT BALANCED...
Good food should taste great and be nutritious, but one shouldn’t be compromised for the sake of the other. And likewise, our food is all about nourishing both your body and your mind - they need each other!
BE ADVENTUROUS...
We combine the best local produce with flavours from all four corners of the globe. This helps us make great culturally diverse food without the air miles.
KEEP IT SIMPLE...
We only use whole, natural ingredients and we’re always clear on what goes into our meals.
TAKE YOUR TIME…
We take time to slow-cook our ingredients to create the tastiest meals for you which means you can take the time to look after yourself.
Now that's Good Mood Food
REFUGEE COMMUNITY KITCHEN & SOULFUL
Since 2015 RCK has sought to help thousands of fellow human beings who have through various circumstances become displaced.
The support they provide is all about using highly nutritional food not only to keep people healthy but to connect with them on an emotional plane.
This shared value of nourishing food and nourishing the soul is what inspired us to partner with RCK and help support the amazing work they are doing.
To kick off our support, we will be donating a percentage of our profits for every meal sold as well as providing our nourishing food direct to RCK’s kitchens.
FARE SHARE & SOULFUL
Since 2013 we’ve supported Fare Share with donations of our Soulful Food. In 2019, we donated over 30,000 meals to those in need.
Fare Share believe that no good food should go to waste so they redistribute surplus food to those in need. Any food that we produce that can’t be sold through our retail partners gets sent to Fare Share to give out to good causes who provide food as part of their service. This means that rather than throwing food away it gets put to good use and enjoyed by thousands of people across the UK.
OUR FOOD IS DELICIOUS & NUTRITIOUS FOR A REASON...
WE LOVE OUR SOULFUL INGREDIENTS
SOME OF THE AMAZING BRITISH FARMERS WE WORK WITH
We believe in real ingredients... meet our
SOULFUL FOOD HEROES
COCONUT
The coconut was originally named by 16th Century Portuguese sailors in the Tropics as 'coco' (meaning 'head' or 'skull') as they thought the three dark holes resembled a face. (The Portuguese call pumpkin lanterns 'coco' too.)
Coconut has many uses for its oil, milk and water, such as improving heart health and better digestion. It also gives a great energy boost and reduces cravings for all things sweet. (Apart from kitten videos. Nothing can stop those cravings.)
A great superfood that is fast becoming a favourite of ours... so can we get a coconut tree for the office please?
BRITISH SPELT
This delicious, nutty flavoured supergrain was introduced from the Middle East about 9000 years ago. The Romans called it ‘marching grain’ due to its high energy content. But it has plenty more to offer!
Spelt is high in fibre, rich in protein and is packed with vitamins and minerals (such as zinc).
Our stoneground spelt is grown and milled at Sharpham Park estate, Somerset: the only known organic spelt mill in the world!
BRITISH QUINOA
(We pronounce it 'keen-wah' or, if feeling a bit posh, ‘keen-waaaah’).
It was first farmed in 2000BC in the Peruvian Andes, but ours is grown in Shropshire courtesy of The British Quinoa Co. This means supporting British farmers, reducing carbon footprint AND we get to visit in our wellies!
It’s actually a seed, not cereal, so it’s gluten free plus high in protein and calcium. It’s related to beetroot, spinach and, er, tumbleweed. The UN, bless 'em, declared 2013 'International Year of Quinoa’, but for us, every year is a quinoa year. So let's raise up our OnePots to our little hero: quinoa. "To keen-waaaaaaaah!”
JACKFRUIT
Jackfruit is a monster! This spiky tropical beast is the biggest tree-growing fruit on Earth, up to 90cm long and weighing up to 55kg. And one massive tree can produce up to 200 of them each year. No wonder, then, that you’ll find one in many gardens in South India (where the plant originated). It’s also no wonder that nobody sits under them... you wouldn’t want one landing on your head.
Each fruit contains hundred of fleshy bulbs, the fibrous ‘meat' that can be used ripe and sweet in desserts, or green in satisfying savoury dishes like some of our monstrously good OnePots. Enjoy!
SWEET POTATO
This particular root vegetable is one of our favourites. Yes, they are roots, unlike 'normal' potatoes which are tubers (underground stems).
They originated in Latin America and were domesticated over 5000 years ago. And well domesticated they are too. They will never wee on your rug. And for any fans of 'useless fact' fans: it is the official vegetable of North Carolina!
Their orange flesh is a fantastic source of beta carotene, made into vitamin A in your body, to help strengthen eyesight and boost immunity. It is also a great source of iron, vitamins and minerals and an anti-diabetic.
Yep, we sure do love 'em, and with all those benefits, it seems the feeling is mutual. Sweet.
KALE
Kale may seem like a foodie fad, but was the most commonly used vegetable back in the Middle Ages.
Kale has always been the unruly rebel of the cabbage family, its wild appearance evading domestication. But it hides a multitude of health benefits; a cupful has more calcium than a carton of milk, and it's packed with antioxidants. It also contains lutein which helps keep your vision and those peepers healthy... great for keeping an eye on who might be nicking your OnePot from the work fridge.
Packed full of vitamins A and K, it can even be eaten raw... but not now, as the microwave is about to ding.
LENTILS
Lentils like beans and peas are pulses. They are a low-fat source of fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals, and they even count towards your recommended five daily portions of fruit and veg.
Lentils were one of the first crops cultivated by man, originally in the Middle East. Archaeological sites reveal seeds dating back to 10,000BC! During the Bronze Age, their cultivation spread across Europe. The ancient Greeks in particular were lentil lovers, especially in their soups and bread.
MUSHROOM
Maybe ‘hero’ isn’t epic enough, as according to those ancient Greeks, mushrooms were little ’SONS OF THE GODS!’, being hurled down by Zeus on seed-scattering lightning bolts.
Egyptians and Romans exalted them too, creating laws to stop mere commoners nibbling them. They realised what a delicate treat they were, but also recognised how fabulous they were for your wellbeing. Warriors would be beefed up with them prior to battle.
Mushrooms are a great source of iron, proteins, antioxidants and even vitamin D!
KELP NOODLES
The Japanese introduced kelp into their diet over 1500 years ago but it was so sought after it was reserved for noblemen only! Well now you can enjoy this superfood too.
Despite kelp being a sea plant, the noodles have no taste of their own, instead absorbing the delicious flavours of the dish. Perfect.
And it's healthy stuff too. Packed with 30 minerals, kelp is especially rich in vitamins B (for energy), C and E (antioxidants for healthy blood). Now that's what we call a super noodle!
CASHEWS
Most of the cashews we eat are grown in India, but the plant actually originated in Brazil. It was Portuguese sailors that introduced them to Goa way back in the middle of the 16th century.
It is a relative of the mango and... poison ivy? Yes, really. Although treated as a nut, it’s technically a seed that grows underneath the cashew apple. The green casing it grows in is acidic so has to be burnt or roasted, then steamed off. Therefore ‘raw’ cashews aren’t truly raw. This provides a fun fact to be pedantic about at parties.
The humble cashew also provides us with 'good fats’ and protein, making them the ideal substitute for meat in a plant-based diet.