Welcome to Well Kneaded!
We’ve been serving pizza in this place (414 Garratt Lane) around 14 months and in this place (London) since 2011.
Social Enterprise
We’re an official Social Enterprise- the business has always existed to give opportunities to young people from the local area. There are so many ways that people can experience barriers to employment and we’re committed to helping people get past those barriers!
Family Values
Family-run pizzerias are more abundant in Italy than they are in the UK, an inversion of the trend for branches of WHSmith or places that sell kebabs, both considerably less common on the Italian high street. There is probably a higher likelihood of tat on shelves and pictures of the local football team in the family-run pizzeria but it could certainly be argued that these things are aesthetic strengths. WK is a family business in the sense that we see the whole team as more than just colleagues/numbers/shift workers- the aim is that being part of Well Kneaded means you’re part of a family. What’s key is that in a family there’s more room for foibles, weakness, mistakes; more room for community and for the big picture, more value on the individual for who they are rather than what they do. It makes all the difference.
Oils
We’ve just received our first delivery of olive oil from a company called the Olive Branch. They grow Koroneiki olives on their family land in Crete and press them at the local co-op. Super excited to add it to our menu- single origin olive oil has been a long-held ambition! Olive trees have an inverse carbon impact. We’ve also shifted to a new, home-made chilli oil using organic chillies and smoked rapeseed oil from Duchess Farms, it’s tasty.
Sustainability
We’re always on the lookout for ways in which we can make things more sustainable. Things we feel good about so far range from organic, locally-sourced veggies, eco-friendly cleaning agents from Delphis Eco, organic flour in the pizzas and the London Living Wage for our team. Things that we’re trying at present are a new honey-washed coffee from Caravan. Honey processing means the coffee isn’t ‘washed’ at source but remains in contact with some or all of the [attractively named] mucilage that cases it. It means the coffee retains a sweeter character and that less water is required in areas where it is already relatively precious. Look out for more sustainability notes on the website.
Food
We’re approaching the Hungry Gap. It’s the time when not much grows and leeks take centre stage. You may reflect that you weren’t aware of leeks being a key player on the Neapolitan pizza scene. You’d be correct, but we like our menus to reflect the seasons as much as is possible. Enjoy the earthy, allium addition to a rich, winter special. Talking of seasons, try some of the fermented carrots for a tasty pre-meal nibble. What you serve in lieu of olives when it’s February and cold and there is not an olive industry in your country.