Meet our Head Chef, Harry Cartwright

Portrait by Jonathan James Wilson.

Hampshire-born chef Harry Cartwright has been honing his craft since his teenage years, nurturing a lifelong passion for food that has carried him across the globe - from the vibrant kitchens of Ghana to the culinary landscapes of Australia and Spain. Along the way, he's cultivated a style that marries international inspiration with a deep respect for seasonality and a strong sense of place. 

Now at the helm of 24, Harry’s vision extends far beyond sustenance. Working closely with Goodwood’s Home Farm, he champions organic, seasonal and foraged ingredients, transforming them into dishes that are as nourishing as they are delicious. The result is a dining journey of exceptional quality, rooted in place, and destined to make 24 a reason to visit Goodwood Art Foundation.

We spoke to Harry to hear more about his varied career and his vision for 24. 

What are you enjoying about the new challenge?

Amazing! To have an organic farm as part of the Estate is such an exciting prospect. Since arriving at Goodwood, I've spoken to so many passionate people regarding the farm. It's such a fantastically unique opportunity to work directly with the butcher, who himself works directly with the farmer, with the same overall goal of producing the best quality produce in mind.  

Can you tell us about how you’ve created the menu at 24? 

I think it’s almost impossible not to draw inspiration from Dan Pearson’s stunning design. The concept he's undertaken is for the landscape (that we're lucky enough to be surrounded by) to follow 24 mini seasons that ebb and flow into one another. This is exactly how I’ve designed the menu, slowly evolving as the year progresses, so we can use the local produce when it's at its very best.  

Goodwood pork belly, rhubarb BBQ sauce and cabbage slaw. Photo by Stephen Hayward. 

How do you go about creating your dishes? 

I think a good example of the process I go through would be the pigeon dish I cooked for the cook-off that got me the job! When I pictured sitting out on the deck of Café 24, surrounded by trees in the spring sunshine, I could very much imagine our local wild birds being close by. I then thought of birch syrup tapped from trees metres away. Being spring, the wild garlic would also be out in full force. Then I thought about what the pigeons would eat, which brought yellow split peas to mind. I put all those elements together for the dish, with the idea of combining contrasting yet complimentary textures and flavours.  

That sounds delicious. What were the ingredients? 

You have Wood Pigeon (savoury, game), Birch Syrup and Charred Swede (sweet, bitter, earthy), Wild Garlic Green Sauce (fresh, zesty), Salt & Vinegar Yellow Split Peas (crunch, sour, acidity), plus a Pigeon Sauce to maximise the pigeon flavour of the dish. 

 Cured monkfish, sugar snap, lemon yoghurt, parsley oil. Photo by Stephen Hayward. 

How did you get started in the restaurant industry? 

I started my career working as a waiter in a local pub in Hampshire at 15. Very quickly I realised I was far more interested in the kitchen side of things. Seeing locals pop in with a few pheasants or rabbits to swap for a pint and seeing these made into hearty dishes almost seemed like magic to me back then. I feel very lucky to have found my passion at such a young age as seeing this process really inspired me to want to become a chef. At 19 while still being a very junior chef I was fortunate enough to be offered the chance to help teach cookery for three weeks at a vocational college in Ghana. This was a massively eye-opening experience, which further instilled a respect of food.  

What happened next?  

After that, I went to Australia for two years, and after travelling much of the country I ended up in Melbourne for my last year. I worked at a small-plates restaurant in the city under a head chef named Matt Willis (former head chef of MoVida Aqui). I think still to this day I learnt more about food and what it means to be a chef in this short space of time than any other. Next, I travelled in Spain for three months and then onto Mexico for a further four months. The food in both these countries still inspires me today and without having outright Spanish or Mexican dishes on my menus, there are nods towards both these wonderful cuisines. At 27, I got the job at THE PIG at Harlyn Bay as sous chef as part of their opening team.  

And then you opened your restaurant ? 

Yes, I opened a restaurant called The Mulberry in Falmouth with my business partner. We had a choice of two menus, small plates or a six-course tasting menu. We sourced all our produce from local seasonal suppliers. We achieved two rosettes in our first year and maintained them the rest of the time we were open. In our second year, we were added into the Michelin guide and awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand two months later.   

Finally, what brought you to Goodwood? 

My fiancé became pregnant in September, and we decided we'd like to be closer to our family as we start our own. We moved back to Hampshire, and I was fortunate enough to find the job at Goodwood Art Foundation which seemed the absolute perfect fit. I’m very excited to lead the kitchen team here and be part of this incredible project. Art, nature, and great food all in one place.