Soul Shine
Introducing Soulshine, a restaurant and café in the heart of Bridport, where the celebration of life’s simple pleasures come together. Co-owners Andy Tyrrell and Joel Gostling champion small-scale artisan producers, curating a menu that evolves with the seasons and highlights the very best of local ingredients. In this interview, we explore the journey behind Soulshine and the passion driving their commitment to fresh, sustainable dining.
What inspired you to start Soulshine, and how did your experiences at River Cottage shape your vision for the restaurant and café?
We didn’t plan to start a restaurant at all! Joel and I met at River Cottage over 10 years ago, serving, teaching and cooking for a multitude of guests.
It wasn’t until the pandemic started and we started out doing a pop up together that the idea took hold and the opportunity to take on Soulshine presented itself. We thought that we could build on what had already been created and create a more foodie offering with evenings as well. It seemed like too good of a chance to miss.
During our time at River Cottage, we worked with a strong connection to the growing seasons, and we’d spend a lot of time trying to communicate, teach, and make dishes in a way that would reflect them. Over a few years there, we developed a good knowledge of local producers and a few others further afield that had a similar connection to the seasons.
This experience is invaluable as it becomes the basis from which we start the conversation about everything that we do. We’re always
thinking about what’s good now, and how we can use it.
Can you share more about the process of selecting your local suppliers and the importance of this commitment to local sourcing?
Making a commitment to buy from a small supplier can make a big difference to their business, especially when you buy enough and - most importantly - regularly. I’ve seen that time and again over many years in restaurants.
For us, first of all, the product has to be good. Really good. A product’s local status doesn’t mean it’s necessarily been grown or produced to a high standard, so we make sure we’re choosing the best of the best. The second part of our process involves us working out the supply: sometimes we work with some great stuff but only as a one-off. Others become staples in our supply chain.
Thirdly is the personal aspect. Sometimes you just like the people! And when you’ve built a relationship, that good energy is where the magic is. It’s the bit that we miss when buying faceless products online or from a big retailer.
The size of Soulshine and our menu design means that we buy enough to make a difference to small producers but not so much that we need things on a mass scale at the wrong time of year. Organic salad is a good example of this - as the spring and summer seasons get going, the growing increases, but we also get busier and the menu changes to include more organic salad. This means we’re buying more of what’s produced when production rates are highest, so those producers can sell what they have at the right time of year.
Can you share a supplier success story with us?
Absolutely! We have a lot, but Nick Phillips from Grown Up Mushrooms
is one that immediately comes to mind. I met Nick in 2019 and quickly realised that he had an amazing product. He was in a
situation where chefs would buy a few kilograms from him here and there, and then nothing.
When we opened Soulshine, Nick’s mushrooms went on the first menu and they never came off! We use multiple kilograms a week, and it helps Nick to know we are a consistent customer when he’s planning ahead growing the next batch.
Soulshine has become a beloved part of the community. What inspired you to choose Bridport as the home for your business?
Joel is local to the area but over in Devon. I moved to Bridport 12 years ago and have really enjoyed living here. It’s got a lively community and the market is a big draw for me.
There’s a lot going on for a small town and we both love that.
We have been so well supported for the last three years - it’s incredibly humbling.
We will just keep trying to keep doing something good and bringing people together, which is what it’s all about for us.
Website → wearesoulshine.co.uk
Instagram → @wearesoulshine
