“And while Thyme has changed a lot over the years and as a place, it has grown and built into something much bigger, the ethos is absolutely the same. It's all about slowing down and connecting to the land. And it's also very much an extension of our home. Those are the two things that give the experience here and the place here a fundamental difference. We want people to come and there's a sense of familiarity and a sense of homeliness.”
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We’re in great company with Caryn and Milly Hibbert, the mother & daughter duo behind Thyme - a collection of restored, historic buildings nestled in the Cotswolds of England, where they took time to make Thyme. A family story where a passion for the land, food and entertaining merges with a love of nature, beauty and conservation.
Over the years, the Hibbert family has delicately and diligently brought to life the charm and character that can only be experienced in a “village within a village” - inviting guests to rest and reconnect in the English country idyll that they have the great fortune of calling home.
In this final episode of Season 5, we hear the passion present and the laughter linger, as both Caryn and Milly speak to the organic and timeless growth of Thyme and all that is to come - from a family who likes to “color in” their lives with the things they love.
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Top Takeaways
[2:00] Like mother, like daughter, both Caryn and Milly grew up with a love for and respect of nature. Yet it took time away - in different careers, across different cities - before the Cotswolds called them home.
[10:25] Thyme, in its humble beginnings with untouched land, rundown buildings and ruined barns, was founded amongst generations of the Hibbert family, on principles meant to keep their sense of place “as pure as possible,” only adding to and never subtracting from the beauty that was innate.
[16:40] It has and always will be a family affair at Thyme, with Caryn as the Founder and Creative Director, her daughter Milly by her steadfast side as the General Manager, and her son Charlie as the Head Chef with a heightened attention to all of the senses.
[22:40] Today, Thyme is comprised of 31 bedrooms dispersed across its houses and cottages, the Ox Barn restaurant, the Baa Bar, the Swan pub, Cookery School, Meadow Spa, Bertioli Boutiques, and the Tithe Barn event and exhibition space.
[24:45] Through a “Calendar of Happenings” the Hibbert’s have opened their estate to travelers and locals alike, offering a variety of experiences, classes, workshops and events - from cookery and floristry, to soap making and painting, all under the direction of masterful experts in their field.
[32:00] Dining In Good Company with Chef Charlie Hibbert is a sensorial yet simplistic experience as his innovative expertise is “more about what he left off the plate that allows the main ingredients to sing.”
[39:25] It only makes sense, given Caryn and Milly’s nurturing approach to nature, that they would come together to create Thyme’s sister brand Bertioli where they design simple, beautiful products for everyday living, that inspire a connection to the land and nourish both people and planet.
Notable Mentions
Endellion Lycett Green exhibit at Thyme curated by Laura Lopes
