The team behind Hidden Beach Festival has launched a new food delivery service, bringing a rotating selection of locally made dishes to the area – including some made in Rye.
Founder Remi Vibesman said the idea grew organically from the festival itself. “At its core, the project is about bringing people together through culture — music, food, film, wellness and art,” he explained. “Food has always been a big part of that.”
The new initiative, known as the Hidden Beach Community Kitchen, aims to take that ethos beyond seasonal events and into a more regular offering. By adopting a delivery model, the project hopes to provide consistency while supporting local cooks and small food businesses. Remi also emphasised that the project is intended to complement, rather than compete with, existing restaurants. “It’s about creating opportunities for cooks, testing ideas, and offering something a bit different — a rotating, collaborative kitchen that sits between a food project and a cultural programme.”
Initially operating at weekends, the service will work with a small group of independent food providers, each contributing their own style and menu. Rather than functioning as a single-brand kitchen, the concept is designed as a collaborative platform where different food ideas can be showcased and rotated over time. The first menus will focus on Caribbean dishes, which proved particularly popular at the recent launch event. The food itself will centre on comfort and flavour, with a mix of handmade patties, slow-cooked dishes, roast-style meals and cakes — all designed to travel well while maintaining quality.
Local involvement is already at the heart of the project. Rye resident Claire Bennet, founder of Crumbling Free Cakes, is contributing baked goods to the menu, while her partner Tommy Rockett has collaborated with Rémi for several years through Hidden Beach Festival. Claire said she “jumped at the chance to support the Community Kitchen as an outlet to support local business and the surrounding area.” Claire also hopes to expand the availability of gluten-free options locally. Having experienced food intolerances herself, she notes that choices can often be limited. “It’s always the same wrapped brownie or least favoured cookie,” she said. Her aim is to eventually operate from a dedicated gluten-free kitchen, allowing her to create a wider range of cakes and desserts. Being based in Rye also places them in a strong position to help meet local demand directly as the service develops.
More broadly, the project hopes to support emerging food businesses. Claire explained that, in time, the kitchen could offer “local food makers without a premises […] an outlet to get to market,” creating opportunities for new and creative ventures.
The plan is to begin with a simple pre-order system, with customers ordering the day before for next-day delivery. The model will start this week, with orders placed on a Friday delivered in time for lunch on Saturday.
Image Credits: Hidden Beach , Hidden Beach Community Kitchen .