His friend catches the fish, fruit and veg comes from Barnham, and the free-range, organic meat is locally reared.

We often hear people speak of sourcing local produce but Lewis Harris is a true devotee.

Former head chef and manager at the Kemp Town Tin Drum, Lewis’s restaurant aims to serve as much local, organic and Fairtrade produce as possible, including chocolates, hot drinks and juices, and around 60 per cent of the ingredients used are available to buy from the deli.

“We strive to be as ethical as possible,” says Lewis, who started his career as a kitchen porter.

Pestle & Mortar opens from Tuesday to Saturday at 9am for breakfast and lunch, as well as Saturday nights from 7pm for dinner.

“It’s very informal on a Saturday night. We get talking to people and customers talk to each other. They can see it all happening in the kitchen and can ask me anything about the food. I’ve got no secrets," he adds. "I’m offering straightforward food cooked with honesty.”

All menus are seasonal and change regularly but could well include fish, such as mackerel and Dover sole, caught off the shores of Worthing, which end up on diners’ plates just hours later. There are also changing daily specials and veggie options.

Lining the shelves in the deli is an interesting selection of Sussex products, from locally-sourced chutneys, sauces and relishes to beer from Hepworth Brewery in Horsham.

Biscuits come from Battle Bake House in Bexhill, the cakes are home-made on the premises and there five types of Sussex wine available.

A big draw is the cheese counter offering 30 varieties, ten of which are from Sussex, and Lewis is in the process of sourcing more.

“We want to keep food miles low,” he says. “There’s no point buying sausages in from Scotland, only to have to pay for them to be transported down here.

” Saying that, however, Lewis is not precious about such things. “Obviously, some products have to come from abroad, because they’re just not available around here.”