New fire-pit roast food venue comes to Norfolk Broads

Chesca's Yard has expanded its food catering van into a permanent business residence at a disused boat yard on the waterfront.

The refurbishment of the site offering "unspoilt views" with a complete open-air set up has received support from the local village with the business offering a cuisine "like no one's seen before" in Reedham.

READ MORE: Spring Market with 50 stalls coming to Holkham in April 2024 

The popular catering van has expanded by taking over a disused boat yard on the waterfront (Image: Chesca's Yard)

Chesca's Yard have teased new things to look forward to coming this spring (Image: Chesca's Yard)

The venue celebrated its opening over the Easter weekend with live music and a licensed bar, following five weeks of works after the new yard was secured in early March.

The popular food van was originally launched as a pop-up during Covid, serving handmade pizzas which soon became "the heart of the business".

A roast dinner at Chesca's Yard in Reedham (Image: Norwich Food Wa**)

Owned by husband and wife catering team, Francesca Cornish Hollingsworth and Andrew Hollingworth, the couple are "excited to put out one of the best roasts in Norfolk".

The catering business is owned by husband and wife, Francesca Cornish Hollingsworth and Andrew Hollingworth in Reedham (Image: Chesca's Yard)
The 1970s vintage caravan is prepped with a kitchen alongside the new fire pit which has been set up in the yard with benches seating up to 50 customers.

Mrs Hollingsworth said: "It's been a dream to have somewhere to call our own.

"It's something we've been really passionately wanting to do for a couple of years, lots of hard work, blood, sweat and tears has gone into this."

READ MORE: Holt Sunday Market returning this April with more stalls

New fire-pit roast specials added to the menu include crispy pork belly, barbeque wings and fire-pit ribs, using fresh and locally sourced produce.

Following the Easter pop-up, the venue will reopen in May with the owners teasing "new things to look forward to" coming later this spring.

Mrs Hollingworth added: "It's perfect for a family night out or a date night by the river, with blankets and hot water bottles to spare in the colder evenings."

@norwichfood**nk review of Chesca's Yard

Fire-pit roast specials include crispy pork belly, barbeque wings and ribs (Image: @norwichfood**nk)

We set out into foggy countryside feeling not even sure we’d find our way, and by the end, we had had a free spirited adventure with good people, river stories and spectacular food.

This whole place has something sparky and whimsical about it. We were promised a full roast, but I thought to myself, I’m dippy as hell, I must have misunderstood, because no way are they going to be able to cook a roast out of a van.

Reader, there was a roast and far more. The starter was Scotch egg – yes, runny in the middle – and parmesan fries. Followed by a hay roasted hen – I was ready to shed a tear, no one had roasted my hen in hay before and brought it out ablaze. We felt like royalty. The trimmings were all perfection and the penny was starting to drop that we were in the hands of a very experienced and confident chef.

Come dessert, I was expecting something great, and that’s exactly what appeared on my plate. Hand made ice cream. Not by a machine, by actual HAND. I don’t even know how.

Everything is hand made, not a frozen thing in sight – except, of course, the top shelf ice cream.

We are going back as soon as possible, with one thought in mind: to try their pizzas. Toppings change every week, all ingredients locally sourced and seasonal.

Fran and Hol put their hearts into this and it shows. It’s a fun, unconventional, totally unforgettable place they’ve dreamt up.