Taylors of North Somerset
From fruity foundations to becoming a local favourite
Delyse and The Red Chilli Kitchen at Uncle Paul’s Chilli Charity
Delyse Taylor’s journey from jam lover to the fully-fledged food entrepreneur behind Taylor’s of North Somerset was a surprisingly speedy one that started on a summer cycle…
Fruity foundations
In July 2021, Delyse found herself reframing her potential future after a career in post-16 education roles. The challenges of carrying out a senior job during a pandemic and then losing her cherished nan were key factors that set Delyse off in a totally new direction and one very close to her nan’s heart: making delicious chilli sauce, jams and preserves.
A serendipitous cycle
“On a bike ride in summer 2021, I passed the hi-tech FoodWorksSW building. Curious, I went home and researched what it was, having no idea that food innovation hubs like this existed. Later speaking to the expert in-house team that greeted me, our chance chat - in which I mentioned my crazy jam-making idea - soon turned into a serious conversation. Seeing my passion, they convinced me that my idea was sound, and that with their skill and a bit of a steer I could be on to something.”
Family inspiration
Delyse said, “My inspirational nan truly lived and loved life, passing this ethos on to me. She made a range of homegrown jams and preserves - an orange marmalade was a favourite - and I picked these skills up from her. When I created some jams to sell for charity in her honour, people loved them, asking why I didn’t do this more seriously. In the spirit of my nan, I thought why not, and Taylor’s of North Somerset was born. Pouring myself into the new venture, it helped me through the grieving process when nan passed.
Expert advice from the outset
“At FoodWorksSW, I got advice on everything from vocalising my ideas, to refining my locally-sourced ingredient choices, to label design and how to develop and implement HACCP processes. When Environmental Health visited, they studied my paperwork and could see I was doing everything by the book”
“Since my first contact with FoodWorksSW, the last six months have been a rollercoaster. I started renting a small trial kitchen one day per month. This soon increased until I booked it for weeks at a time. A far cry from endless council meetings about education strategy! “
A local partnership is born
“A second chance encounter led to a meeting with Mark Lewis, founder of Uncle Paul’s Chilli Charity based at Butcombe Farm. Our values aligned perfectly, as did our needs. He had high-quality glut produce to put to good use, and I wanted to make jam, marmalade, chutney and chilli sauce (they had six polytunnels packed with chillies and no one making sauces for them!) My nan must have had a hand in this second fortuitous meeting, and I left that day with a new business opportunity. I resigned from my stable Bristol City Council job and in October 2021, officially started working in partnership with the Charity.
“Zoe was invaluable in refining my recipes, with her sixth sense for turning up with a tasting spoon at the perfect moment. Her constructive feedback was invaluable. At FoodworksSW I got to trial kit like an industrial-standard food processor that pulped carrots in moments, to save my chopping sacks of them by hand.”
Chilli sauces and Prosecco jam
“I now make four chilli sauces plus a range of seasonal jams and preserves using the Chilli Farm produce like onions, tomatoes and orchard fruits. I don’t have a year-round signature product, as I firmly believe in eating fresh and eating seasonal. Instead, I produce a rolling range that celebrates each harvest. Favourites include nan’s orange and ginger marmalade, a richly fruity damson plum jam, beetroot and chilli chutney, and an apple and Old Jollop Cider chutney. The strawberry and Prosecco jam is a huge local favourite.
What next?
“Product-wise for this year, I’m developing a new garlic and chilli chutney. Kitchen-wise, there’s been a huge development in that I’ve just moved into my own production space where I’ll make, label and package my own products. It’s called The Red Chilli Kitchen at Uncle Paul’s Chilli Charity. The kitchen belongs to the Charity and helps to support its work to promote further opportunities for socially disadvantaged young people and adults. The FoodWorksSW team were key to this move, visiting to advise on everything from the correct floor and wall coverings to what equipment to buy. This best-practice and regulatory advice gave me huge reassurance that we were doing things right.
“My advice to anyone considering venturing into the food industry or into FoodWorksSW is, of course, do it. Be brave, open-minded and ready for yes, no and maybe. Live and love life and have no regrets as my nan would say. At the end of the day, life is an adventure.”
I’ll definitely retain my Business Membership at FoodWorksSW, both for the kitchen and meeting room discounts but mainly for the priceless advice and insight the team and its networks bring. “