First look: From First Dates the TV show to his Wednesday wine club, Frenchman Fred Sirieix has wowed hearts and palates. And now he’s growing his own vegetables inside an Irish-designed Hampton greenhouse.
Offscreen, the maître d' of the First Dates restaurant, Fred Sirieix, has been busy.
He’s been promoting everything from the classic garlic-infused cream cheese, Boursin, a picnic staple of his native France, various upmarket home fragrances and his Wednesday wine club, in which he recommends tipples to try.
He’s also travelled along Northern Ireland’s coastline and south into the Republic’s ancient east and southeastern regions, showcasing the scenery and trying local dishes and customs with his TV show, Tour de Fred.
A joint production by Waddell Media and ITV Studios Daytime, he brought a Gallic charm to some of the wind and rain on show.
He’s also Diarmuid Gavin’s BFF, the pair having bonded through their love of horticulture, terroir and the good life.
Through their bromance, Diarmuid introduced Fred to Hampton, the Rolls-Royce of the conservatory and orangery world and based in Portrush, Co Antrim.
Hampton, originally Hampton Conservatories, was founded in 1982 and has since been a leading designer and manufacturer of bespoke hardwood glass buildings.
Its range includes bespoke conservatories, orangeries, pool houses, botanical glasshouses, garden rooms and glazed pavilions that have graced the pages of glossy magazines and property supplements.
Through his private clients, the garden designer, television personality and author has worked with the firm and has long been a fan, calling the newly launched range of greenhouses "bold architectural statements, built to last, impress and inspire.
Whether you’re looking to grow your own veg for the first time, are a professional horticulturist, or simply looking for a peaceful retreat or stunning focal point for your garden, the new greenhouses are a space where plants and homeowners will both equally thrive.”
And through the longstanding friendship Gavin has had with the brand, and with its founder, Mervyn Montgomery, Fred has also been introduced to their timber-built charms.
He is now showcasing his Causeway greenhouse where he’s been growing courgettes and tomatoes.
Inspired by the epic landscape he traversed on Tour de Fred and crafted from thermally modified FSC-certified hardwood, the Causeway combines traditional craftsmanship with modern engineering.
It also features Hampton's distinctive architectural detailing, including a projecting pavilion, panelled base and precision-engineered fleur-de-lis structural brackets at the eaves and ridge.
It is one of four different styles in the collection.
The others are the Balmoral, the Dunluce and the Strangford, each available in three different sizes and designed according to the company's principles of symmetry, proportion and architectural excellence.
The timber greenhouse manufacturer uses FSC hardwood with a fully traceable chain of custody.
Every structure is built using responsibly sourced timber that is tracked from forest to finished product, ensuring genuine environmental accountability.
Entry-level prices for the Strangford start from €29,300, while the Dunluce starts from about €35,500 and the Balmoral from €40,800.
Prices for Fred’s Causeway style start from about €46,600.
The greenhouses can be tailored to your own needs.
Fred has floored his in periwinkle blue encaustic tiled floor and added shelves for seedlings.
For more details on the full range, visit Hampton here
