AN expert Monmouthshire forager has taken on an apprentice and is looking to pass on his knowledge.

Henry Ashby, 63, has been foraging for more than 50 years and supplies some of the country’s top restaurants with fresh ingredients taken straight from the hedgerow, coast or forest floor.

At present Mr Ashby’s business Wild Food 365 supplies Chris Harrod, Michelin-starred head chef at the Whitebrook, near Monmouth, with a variety of foraged goods which then get worked into the menu of the moment.

 

However, due to health issues – or “falling apart” as he puts it – he has decided to pass on his knowledge.

Chloé Newcomb Hodgetts, 37, has joined Mr Ashby as his apprentice, though she hastens to add that “it sounds too formal to say apprentice.”

 

She said: “Henry doesn’t like me to call him ‘Master Forager’, although ‘legendary’ is ok.

“He’s a mentor in the truest meaning of the word.”

Miss Newcomb Hodgetts studied aquatic zoology with marine botany, living in the Caribbean for 15 years. She says that she made the decision to train as a forager because of her lifelong passion for animals and wildlife.

“I’m far from a vegan or a tree-hugger,” she said. “I love meat, but it’s more fulfilling to pick your own ingredients.

“I have always loved food; my first word was “more””.

Both Henry and Chloé agree that the ingredients they forage, from arrowgrass to chickweed to wood sorrel, are the best anywhere in the country. This was part of the draw for Miss Newcomb Hodgetts.

“That and the greed factor,” she said. “I love seeing food I’ve picked transformed into incredible dishes by top chefs like Chris.”

“It’s not just picking,” she adds. “There is also a load of cleaning. But at least you can do that from the warmth of your kitchen.”

 

Miss Newcomb Hodgetts’ ultimate aim is to set up her own business, Gourmet Gatherings, using the skills she has learned.

Spending time with Mr Ashby will stand her in good stead, as she said: “For someone I just met randomly I feel privileged that Henry is passing on every piece of knowledge to me. He’s like my fairy godfather.”