- Established
- 2017
- People
- Tom Whitaker and Dhruv Baker
- Based in
- Weybridge, Surrey
- Craft
- Charcuterie
The Local’s perspective
Flavour shaped by patience
Tempus makes exceptional British charcuterie in Weybridge, combining classical technique, chef-led flavour and a deep respect for older animals that might otherwise be overlooked by the food chain.
The story
Two chefs, a shared curing room
Tempus was founded by chefs Tom Whitaker and Dhruv Baker, whose complementary skills brought technical charcuterie knowledge and an instinctive command of spice together under one roof.
Tom’s experience included training in Italy’s Po Valley under celebrated charcutier Massimo Spigarolli. Dhruv, winner of MasterChef UK in 2010, brought an international understanding of spice and layered flavour. After early experiments in a shared London kitchen, they created a purpose-built production site in Weybridge, Surrey.
Every stage happens there: butchery, fermentation, curing and patient ageing. Some products remain in the ageing rooms for more than a year. Tempus uses mature ex-breeding sows and ex-dairy beef, valuing the depth, marbling and character of older animals while making more responsible use of animals already within the food chain. This is British charcuterie shaped by knowledge, restraint and time.
The people
Meet Tom and Dhruv
Tom Whitaker is a chef and production specialist whose charcuterie training includes time in Italy’s Po Valley. Dhruv Baker, MasterChef UK winner and author of *Spice: Layers of Flavour*, brings a distinctive understanding of seasoning and culinary culture. Together they founded Tempus to create uniquely British charcuterie with technical precision and exceptional raw materials.
Inside the making
Respect for the animal and the time
Tempus uses ex-breeding sows and ex-dairy beef—mature animals at the end of their productive lives whose flavour and quality are particularly suited to slow curing. This approach makes considered use of animals already present within the food chain. Every product is butchered, fermented, cured and aged at the Weybridge facility under closely controlled conditions.
Our recommendation
Start with the bresaola
British ex-dairy beef, carefully seasoned and slowly air-dried into elegant slices with remarkable depth, tenderness and savoury character.
Tempus makes patience feel contemporary. Their charcuterie is grounded in classical skill but unmistakably British, with carefully judged spice and a thoughtful approach to using mature animals. Nothing is hurried, and the flavour makes the case for why that matters.
