FOOD + DRINK
Female-Fed cont...
MARIA BRADFORD
Shwen Shwen by Maria Bradford, Sevenoaks shwenshwen. com
Setting out to redefine fine dining with‘ a distinctive Afrofusion menu that honours the storytelling and spice of West Africa with contemporary flair’, Shwen Shwen is the greatly anticipated debut restaurant of award-winning chef and author Maria Bradford. Since opening in June 2025 it has quickly made its mark, earning a well-deserved Bib Gourmand in the 2026 guide thanks to its bold and refreshingly authentic personality.
Shwen Shwen is the culmination of Maria Bradford’ s journey- one that began in the childhood she spent in Freetown, Sierra Leone, cooking alongside her family. After moving to Kent, Maria swapped a career in finance to pursue her lifelong passion for food. In 2017, she began catering under the name Maria Bradford Kitchen, which over time evolved into the remarkable brand that is Shwen Shwen- a name drawn from the Krio language, meaning‘ fancy’.
Rooted in connection and heritage, and intended as a rightful celebration of Sierra Leone’ s culinary legacy, each and every dish is curated as a flavoursome love letter to Maria’ s homeland, woven with tradition, respect and the ingredients that make food truly special. Within an intimate dining room intentionally dressed with rich, inviting finishes, diners are invited to savour a spectrum of colour and flavour. The Chef’ s Choice menu comes highly recommended, featuring standout dishes such as plantain hand pie and tomato; king prawns with lemongrass gel and Maria’ s signature chilli sauce: Salone
Fire; and pineapple served with cassava, grains of Selim, rum and coconut ice cream.
© Andrew Hayes Watkins
© Andrew Hayes Watkins Photography
SHWEN SHWEN
GEORGETA NEGOITA
Little Rock, Folkestone littlerockfolkestone. co. uk
Set within iconic beachside shipping containers overlooking Folkestone Harbour, and with a stellar reputation for transporting diners to the vibrant shores of the Mediterranean with its laid-back vibe and beautifully fresh approach, Little Rock is a sparkling seafront jewel.
At its helm- and much to be thanked for its glowing reviews and award-winning status, including listings in The Good Food Guide 2024 and 2025- is Georgeta Negoita. Originally from Romania, Georgeta joined the esteemed Rocksalt Group in 2018, beginning her journey at its flagship Folkestone restaurant Rocksalt as a kitchen porter. Under the mentorship of executive group chef Marcin, she swiftly showcased heaps of talent and finesse, rising through the kitchen ranks to commis chef, chef de partie then junior sous before being appointed head chef at Little Rock when it first opened its doors in 2021.
LITTLE ROCK
Thriving as ever, Georgeta now leads a superb kitchen team and has developed a muchadored signature focus on locally sourced produce, working closely with suppliers such as the well-known Folkestone Trawlers operating out of the surrounding harbours to keep her menus fresh, seasonal and effectively simple- always allowing the exceptional fish and shellfish to take centre stage.
www. insidekent. co. uk • 75