Growing Together: Healing People and Places | Sal Chebbah

In this episode, Dave and Matt meet Sal Chebbah – known locally as the Mushroom Queen of Lancaster West Estate in West London. In the shadow of Grenfell Tower, Sal has turned gardening and mushroom growing into tools for healing and connection.

Her journey takes us from her childhood in Lyon, surrounded by greenery and art, to her corporate career in London – and ultimately to founding Elysian Roots, an educational mushrooming initiative that’s helping communities reconnect with food, nature, and each other.

Together, they talk about how mushrooms became a metaphor for resilience, the role of nature in recovery, and how urban greening can transform not just landscapes but lives. Sal also shares her vision for a future where every school grows food – and every city reconnects with the natural world around it.

To find out more about Sal’s work, visit: https://sals.world/

And to discover more about Elysian Roots, visit: https://elysianroots.com/