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Welcome to Forage London and Beyond, a collective of independent foraging teachers offering London wild food walks, Dorset seashore and coastal foraging, Hampshire and New Forest mushroom hunting.

Testimonials

As well as the articles and footage below, Forage London has featured in The Metro, Conde Naste Traveller, The Independent, The Times Magazine, Marie Claire, Channel 5’s The Breakfast Show, BBC Gardens Illustrated, The Lady, Delicious Magazine, Living Woods Magazine and numerous other publications.

The Daily Telegraph

telegraph

big-issue

                                                                               The Big Issue

                                                          A short film for The Discovery Channel

foragelondonfilm

                                                                Foraging with friends in Scotland

summit

                                                    Talking urban foraging on BBC Radio London

radio-london

countryin thecity

Country Living Magazine Article

Feedback from recent events.

  • Tate Modern

‘John was welcoming, entertaining and engaging; a natural presenter who is obviously very passionate about what he does.’

  • Lush Cosmetics

We thoroughly enjoyed our foraging with John, learning about all the different fungi species we came across. Much like the mycelium network, we’re all interconnected and rely on each other for nourishment and support – so this was exactly what we needed to bring us together as a global team and connect to our vision of leaving the world Lusher than we found it. We’ll definitely be back for another walk with John soon.’

  • Seedlip/Diageo

Our foraging day in London with John was highly inspirational. As a team of mixologists constantly working on cocktail recipes and menus, our day foraging with John learning about native British ingredients with punchy and unexpected flavours certainly made us think outside the box. It was a fascinating day learning about the wonders of nature & everything it provides. Thank you John for helping inspire the team’.

  • Miller Harris Perfume

We have had the great pleasure of foraging with John on numerous occasions, with guests from all different creative fields and every one is always throughly delighted with the experience. John’s walks transform the way you view the city and we wanted to experience it from an olfactive perspective whilst understanding what could be a source of food in the urban landscape. We learnt so much and found John’s personality is equal to his knowledge. As one of our press guests complimented, she will never see the city in the same way again.’

  • The Museum of London

‘Thanks again for leading a great event – I had such positive feedback from the guests, and I think many of them will be coming to your future workshops too!’

  • Westminster University

‘Thanks John. It was great! My students had lots of amazing reflections the next day and the feedback from the pupils was really positive.’

  • Islington Ecology Centre 

‘Johns walks are highly educational and have been valuable to the local people, encouraging engagement with nature in a responsible way.’

  • Bushmills Whiskey

‘John was a great help not only in the execution of our event but also in helping us understand the principles behind foraging and what we could achieve with foraged ingredients. His enthusiasm for wild food and the process of collecting it was infectious, and both media and consumers commented on how much they enjoyed his walk. John is knowledgeable, affable and professional; a rare combination but one that ensures that we’ll use him again. Thanks John!’

  • London Wildlife Trust

‘We have had such marvellous feedback from your event, so thank you once again.’

  • The Botanist Gin

John has been playing a huge role in the development of The Botanist Gin, his knowledge and expertise helped us to convey our message to in the UK. His foraging walks have always taught us loads and helped us to understand our surroundings better and use them in food or cocktails.

  • Victorinox/Swiss Army Knives

We just wanted to send a thank you for hosting the workshops with us and joining us at Wilderness Festival. It was a pleasure to work with you.’

  • White Pepper Cookery School

‘Working with John on our various foraging courses in Dorset is as much a joy as it is an education, he has great expertise in relation to our edible landscape, nutritional facts, horticultural medicine, cookery and the history of plants and fungi. To pass on this sometimes complex information, to include Latin names, in an accessible, relevant and fun way  to groups of all sizes, takes great teaching and interpersonal skills.  This is what, in our opinion separates John from the other tutors and experts in his field.  John’s students leave feeling inspired, more confident and hungry for more. In short foraging with John is an exceptional experience not to be missed.’

  • Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park

‘We manage a nationally recognised nature reserve in east London and we have had a long relationship with John.  His walks are hugely educational and hands on. Via the theme of foraging he wants people to enjoy the natural world as much as he does and he aims to help people do this in a considerate and responsible way so that plant populations aren’t removed and are maintained for both wildlife and people.  John is truly engaging and fascinating to spend time with.  Walking the landscape with him is immensely rewarding.’

  • Blue Ventures 

‘Thanks again for a great morning of foraging, fascinating facts about our local park and the edible delights that we could find there and the chance to try some of your home-produced drinks and food. We all had a great time.’

  • Green Alliance

‘We booked a wild food tour with John as part of an office away day, and were really impressed with his knowledgeable and entertaining guided tour of the edible delights of a London park. It was a really interesting (and tasty) afternoon out, which got people talking and learning – and inspired several of us to be more adventurous with our eating! Highly recommended.’

  • Upham Pub Co.

‘We had an amazing experience with John doing Urban Foraging in Southhampton. Our head chefs felt engaged and thought that John was very passionate, enthusiastic and very inspiring. We will definitely be doing this experience with John again.’

  • Rolling Drinks Trolley

John is THE voice when it comes to foraged ingredients in the UK.  Friendly, knowledgeable & creative, a pleasure to collaborate with.’ 

  • Our Vodka London

‘Your forage walk has really opened our eyes to the truly magnificent range of herbs and plants that are all around us in this great city.
Your knowledge, and the interesting way you shared this with our guests on the walk, was top quality!’

  • Abbots Court

What an inspirational morning. We were all blown away by the experience and we can’t wait to get cracking on organising the next one.’

  • Talisker Whiskey

‘We had a fascinating and extremely enjoyable time with John looking at some of the wild cocktail ingredients that can be found in any London park, more outing s to follow soon.’

“Hi John, just to say thank you and how much we enjoyed your walk today – I shall never look at the natural world in quite the same way again! Will also treat hemlock with greater respect”. Cheers from us both, Jo and Dave

“Dear John, I wish to thank you for a wonderful morning. It was perfect, from meeting in the sunshine in a London park that I knew nothing about,to you sharing your extensive and very interesting knowledge about foraging, also your delicious coffees and tinctures”.
With best wishes Anna Fulford-Brown

“I don’t think I’ve ever met someone more happy at work than you! Thank you so much for a really great day of seashore foraging last Sunday. We learned so much in such a pleasurable way”.
Sarah Newman

“Hey John, Just wanted to thank you for your inspiring tour of the edible flora of Ravenscourt Park yesterday morning. It was brilliant, Felix and I both really enjoyed it. You should be on TV, mate”.
All the best, Simon Welsh

“We booked a wild food tour with John as part of an office away day, and were really impressed with his knowledgeable and entertaining guided tour of the edible delights of a London park. It was a really interesting (and tasty) afternoon out, which got people talking and learning – and inspired several of us to be more adventurous with our eating! Highly recommended”.
Emily Crawley, Green Alliance

“John’s foraging course was hands on, informative and a real sensory experience! Not only did I learn to comfortably and confidently identify a myriad of salad greens or vegetables, I got to taste cordials, syrups, dandelion coffee, jellies and chutneys – giving me real inspiration for how I can use local ingredients to spice up my cooking. He presents information responsibly – with lots of information about sustainability and any health risks and I really enjoyed the course and his passion. All this just down the road from my house!”
Thanks Again, Brie O’Keefe

“John, I would like to thank you for a very enjoyable and informative mushroom gathering trip yesterday. I found your course to be excellent. You were very careful to point out the risks of misidentification and consumption of wild fungi not only from natural toxin’s, but also from chemicals that they may have absorbed from their environment. You were not claiming to turn anyone into an expert fungi forager in a few hours but rather you equipped us with the knowledge to use field guides and other books and be able to start interpreting their often complicated descriptives with a lot more confidence. Fungi are a very interesting subject. But also, I think, a very complicated one and I shall now begin to study this subject with far greater confidence. I will also be cooking up some tasty meals as I do so”.
Once again, a big thank you! Nick from Brizzle (Nick Harris)

Praise and Endorsement from other foragers.

“John, A massive thank you!  An excellent lead course, thanks to your hard work, research and your personal touch. I learnt loads and found your teaching skills exceeded my expectation, on every level. Your understanding of the subject of fungi foraging is exceptional, and obviously founded in both an academic and lustful practical relationship for the subject, such skills only achieved from dedication, practical hard work, and getting your hands dirty! Once again, thank you, and I really look forward to the next course with you”.
Kind regards Fraser Christian
https://www.wildforage.co.uk

“John, we had the most fantastic day with you and as one forager to another, I really enjoyed your obvious passion and enthusiasm which turns a potentially dry subject into a fun, informative day out. I wish you all success in this and your Forage London project”.
Caroline Davey
https://www.fathen.org

“John is an experienced guide to the wonderful world of mushrooms & wild edible plants. As co-host on courses with me, he is an extremely relaxed, and funny (yet professional) foraging teacher, and a thorough joy to work with. If you are looking for someone who delivers, then I highly recommend and refer John Rensten to you”.
Robin Harford
https://www.foragingcourses.com

“Working with John on our various foraging courses in Dorset is as much a joy as it is an education.  Although John is too modest to call himself an expert he has great expertise in relation to our edible landscape, nutritional facts, horticulture, medicine, cookery and the history of plants and fungi. To pass on this sometimes complex information, to include Latin names, in an accessible, relevant and fun way  to groups of all sizes takes great teaching and interpersonal skills.  This is what, in our opinion separates John from the other tutors and experts in his field.  John’s students leave feeling inspired, more confident and hungry for more”.
Luke Stuart
https://www.white-pepper.co.uk

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