A new food destination is preparing to welcome its first visitors at Nature’s Corner on Fakenham Road, Hoe, near Dereham, bringing together a seasonal kitchen, artisan bakery, farm shop and community gathering space rooted in sustainability and nature recovery. Wild Things will celebrate its opening weekend from 27 to 29 November 2026, between 8.30am and 4pm, inviting visitors to discover its freshly baked bread, seasonal cooking, locally grown produce and carefully selected goods from independent makers.
Ahead of its official opening, Wild Things hosted a press preview event, giving guests an early opportunity to experience the new space and discover the team’s approach to seasonal food, artisan baking and sustainability. The gathering offered a taste of what visitors can expect, with drinks and canapés served in the new setting and guests getting a first look at the destination.
Located within the 2,000-acre Wendling Beck nature recovery project, Wild Things has been developed around the idea that good food can connect people more closely with the landscape and the communities around them. The wider project is transforming farmland into a richer natural environment of restored meadows, wetlands and woodlands, providing the setting for a food destination that places provenance and environmental responsibility at its heart.
The project brings together chef Lola De Mille and baker Richard Snapes, alongside partners Rosie and Alex Begg and architect Juliet Moore. Their shared vision is to create a welcoming space where food, farming, craftsmanship and community come together. Rather than following a fixed menu or relying on ingredients sourced from far away, Wild Things will take its lead from the seasons and the produce available from the surrounding landscape.
For Lola De Mille, whose experience spans restaurants, the charity sector and a variety of food projects, cooking is about much more than what appears on the plate. Her approach is shaped by seasonal ingredients, fire cooking, wild food and the simple pleasure of bringing people together over a meal. At Wild Things, this philosophy will translate into nourishing dishes, generous sharing plates, ferments and ingredients that reflect the changing harvest.
The kitchen will work closely with produce from Wendling Beck Market Garden, allowing the menu to evolve with what is growing. Visitors can expect seasonal breakfasts and lunches, alongside fire-cooked sharing plates that celebrate the flavour and quality of fresh ingredients. This garden-led approach places the relationship between the kitchen and the land at the centre of the dining experience.
Bread and baking will be equally important to the project. Richard Snapes brings extensive experience as a baker and consultant, having previously run a successful bakery business and worked with Wildfarmed. His approach centres on traditional craft, carefully developed doughs and a deep appreciation of grain provenance.
At Wild Things, the bakery will produce slowly fermented, wild-yeasted sourdough breads alongside seasonal pastries, buns and focaccia. Organic and regeneratively grown grain will feature in its approach, with an emphasis on quality flour, flavour and careful preparation. Working alongside a market garden also creates opportunities to connect baking directly with the produce grown nearby, bringing together the work of the baker and the kitchen.
The farm shop will extend this connection beyond the café and restaurant, offering fresh garden produce, house-made ferments, preserves and pickles, alongside provisions from local independent makers. It will provide visitors with the opportunity to take home ingredients and products that reflect the same focus on seasonality, craftsmanship and responsible sourcing.
Wild Things has also been designed as a place for people to gather, with plans for weekly sourdough pizza nights, farm feasts and special pop-up events. These occasions will create opportunities for the local community to come together around food, while allowing the team to explore different ingredients, cooking methods and seasonal experiences.
Sustainability extends into the building itself. The architecture incorporates materials selected for their environmental credentials, including recycled bricks from Kenoteq, Hemspan insulation and light fittings made using mushroom-based mycelium materials. These features reflect the wider ambition to create a destination that considers its environmental impact alongside the quality of its food.
As Wild Things prepares to welcome its first visitors, the project offers a new addition to Norfolk’s independent food scene. Its combination of garden-led cooking, artisan baking, local provisions and community events reflects a growing interest in understanding where food comes from and how it connects to the surrounding environment.
With its opening weekend taking place from 27 to 29 November 2026, Wild Things will introduce visitors to a space shaped by the seasons, the work of its growers and makers, and a shared belief that food can bring people closer to nature. At Nature’s Corner, the aim is simple: to create somewhere people can eat well, discover thoughtfully made products and experience the connection between good food and a recovering landscape.
Location: Nature’s Corner, Fakenham Rd, Hoe, Dereham NR20 4HA
Website: https://wildthingsfood.uk/