Intro
A family‑run Somerset seasoning brand rooted in a lifetime of cooking, curiosity, and craft — from childhood kitchens to lockdown experiments.
Our Story
Jolly Chef is run by us — Keith and Kate Hards — from our small workshop here in Somerset. Food has always been part of our lives. Keith grew up in a family that cooked constantly, with a grandfather who worked as a butcher. His first real experience in the food world came in the summer of ’96, helping out in his sister’s kitchen. After college, he worked in a packing factory and then at a fruit and veg wholesaler before moving into a different career — but cooking always stayed with him.
In 2006, Keith picked up a well‑known fried chicken coating from a shop in Dover. It wasn’t great — and that disappointment sparked a fascination with herbs, spices, blends, and the “secret recipes” behind proper fried chicken and takeaway‑style curries. Over the years, he perfected his own blends and even learned how to make authentic pressure‑fried chicken at home.
Fast‑forward to October 2020. Lockdown shut down Keith’s DJ gigs, and like many families, we suddenly needed a new way to bring in extra income. One evening, Keith cooked his pressure‑cooker fried chicken for friends. They took one bite and said, “This is incredible — you should sell this.”
The next morning he searched online for fried chicken seasoning, spotted a gap in the market, mixed up the first batch, listed it on eBay… and Jolly Chef was born.
Today, Keith still develops the recipes, blends the bulk spices, and handles the IT and website around his full‑time job. Kate runs the day‑to‑day business, orders, packing, customer service, and keeps everything moving while also looking after our youngest.
We’re a real family business — no factories, no mass production, no corporate nonsense. Just honest, flavour‑packed seasonings made in small batches, from our family to yours.
Explore our full range of seasonings → Shop Seasonings