Back in 2012, a fierce blaze ravaged the River Cottage Park Farm, a cherished 17th-century residence of renowned chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, situated near Axminster, Devon. This historic cottage, known for hosting events and cooking classes, was left in ruins after firefighters battled the inferno for three hours, leaving only a skeletal structure. At the time of the incident, Hugh was in Antarctica on a filming assignment, and it was a vigilant local gardener who first alerted authorities.

Reports indicate that a substantial emergency response was mobilized, involving police, eight fire engines, and 80 firefighters who rushed to the scene. Mike Burroughs from the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service stated: “It is too early to determine the fire’s cause, but I can confirm it did not originate from the wood-fired bread oven or the fish smoker.” This clarification came amidst speculations that the fire began when a wood-burning stove was left on after a mackerel and fillet fish cooking lesson.

As the blaze was being tackled, River Cottage staff frantically attempted to reach Hugh, who was unreachable due to being out of radio contact while filming in the Southern Ocean. It took 36 hours before they could finally get in touch with him via satellite communication.

In response to the incident, Hugh addressed his worried followers and the local community in a heartfelt statement: “I’m deeply shocked by the news of the fire at our Park Farm barn, the heart of River Cottage. Being so far away, it’s hard to comprehend the situation.”

He added, “The most important thing is that no one was injured, and I am immensely thankful to the local fire brigade for their swift action and assistance.”

The chef continued: “I understand there’s already a plan underway to set up a working field kitchen so we can continue to host our events, teach our courses and look after our guests in the coming months.

“I’ve no doubt the whole River Cottage team will be pulling together to make this happen, and in due course, we’ll set about restoring our lovely Devon barn to its former glory. Thanks so much to all those who have sent us messages of support.”

The cooking school contained around 10 ovens, each connected to an individual gas cylinder, which was involved in the fire.

The 400-year-old barn underwent extensive restoration and rebuilding, which was completed the following year. This included a new purpose-built teaching area, with the original barn being used for River Cottage events, weddings, and themed dining.

An investigation by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue did not establish an exact cause of the fire.