Passionate about foods that are seasonal, natural and ethical.
Founded by chef, food consultant and educator Annette Wedd, Rough & Ready Whole Foods is the cumulation of a life-long passion for food.
The name Rough & Ready represents the food that we sell; wholesome, natural and honest.
Our own brand range of high quality organic nuts, seeds, dried fruit, dried vegetables and flours have been carefully curated with this in mind, and alongside our branded products from Doves Farm, X and X, we hope that you'll find everything you need for a well-stocked cupboard of delicious organic ingredients.
Meet Annette, our founder
Chef, food consultant and educator; with over 35 years experience in the catering and food industry, Annette is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to food and nutrition.
'As a family we have always had strong connections with food. Our grandmother was an excellent cook and made the most amazing pastry. She grew all kinds of fruit and vegetables and one of my favourite childhood memories is the taste of strawberries from her garden when they were in season, and the anticipation of picking them each summer.
She taught our mother to cook and our parents still grow their own fruit and vegetables in their garden. They allowed us as children to experiment with cooking at home, initially watching and scraping out the bowls, and then baking and cooking our own creations, as well as preparing vegetables and fruit for the freezer and making jams and chutney. I’ve now passed some of these skills onto my own daughter.
My career in catering started at catering college at the age of 16 where I qualified as a chef and went on to enjoy 25 years of working in all types of kitchens, as well as competing in national competitions. After that, I worked as an auditor and consultant in food hygiene and safety, allergens and nutrition. It was during this time that I gained a huge amount of experience and understanding in the importance of food nutrition and wellbeing.
I decided to train to become a teacher and worked hard to gain my qualification and secured a position as Food Technology Teacher at a secondary school. After a few years I became the Leader of Food Preparation and Nutrition, teaching and mentoring GCSE students.'
Eating foods that are seasonal, natural and ethical is a passion for me. It's this passion, along with enormous help from my brother Richard, that has created Rough & Ready Whole Foods.