Since last writing, a lot has happened. In fact, I can’t believe how much I’ve managed to pack into the last couple of months!

I suppose one of the most exciting things was going out to New York with Pete Biggs to cook at April Bloomfield’s John Dory at The Ace Hotel, marking the launch of my book in America. New York really is a fascinating place. There is so much going on and it continues through the day and night! This is true even of the restaurant industry over there. You can eat almost any style of cuisine at any time of night or day and I found that it’s nothing unusual to spend a whole evening ‘restaurant hopping’ – having a course or two in one place and then moving on to another for the next part of the meal. Crazy!

The experience of cooking with other chefs is always interesting to me as it’s a chance to exchange ideas and knowledge. Last month we were fortunate to welcome Claire Clark and Valentine Warner for separate master classes here in Rock. Claire’s was an unusual event for us as the focus was on desserts for a change. The guys in the kitchen couldn’t wait to learn from her and it was great to see them (and me!) getting excited about the event and keen to try new techniques which, in turn, initiated new ideas for our menus. Needless to say, Read more

First of all, let me wish everyone reading this a very Happy (if belated) New Year!

Well, here we go again, the winter break is over and down in Rock we are raring to go for the new season.  Of course, the weather isn’t yet showing much sign of spring but we are ever hopeful; there are snowdrops and daffodils about and we have had a few glimpses of sunshine over the past week.

Just before we closed for Christmas we had a bit of a nightmare due to all the rain that fell.  We came in one morning to water bubbling up through the floor of our wine cellar!  Initial investigations for the expected burst pipe were fruitless and, as ever, Danny was called upon.  He spent the next few days bailing out the cellar and clearing everything that had been damaged.  Following further investigations, it was found that an underground spring, which no-one knew about, had become so full with rainwater that it burst its banks…and found our cellar!  Luckily, none of the wine was touched but we did lose the fridges and their contents.  Over the break, workmen have been busy refitting the cellar and we now have shiny new fridges and lovely new flooring throughout the kitchen areas.  My thanks to them for getting it done in time for opening night!

This year began well for us Read more

Last weekend saw Padstow Festival take place, a sure sign that Christmas is almost here and that we are about to close for the winter.  As always, there was a lovely atmosphere and the crowds seemed bigger than ever.  I took part in a very interesting debate and also had great fun cooking Red Mullet with Brussels Sprouts, Tartare Dressing and a Red Wine and Burnt Butter Reduction for the final demonstration of the weekend, a dish that would be an ideal alternative to the traditional Christmas turkey.  I was amazed by (and grateful to) the number of people who stayed in the cold and looming darkness to join me.  Daphne Skinnard from Radio Cornwall did her usual brilliant job of compering the event, even though she was frozen almost solid, and she even managed to get Tim, one of my young chefs who helped me for the afternoon, to say a few words to the audience.  I think if the ground could have opened up and swallowed him he would have been quite happy!

One of the things I like being able to do at these demonstrations is to show people first-hand how to fillet a fish, and, once you get the knack, how easy it is.  I find that many people are put off cooking fish because they don’t know what to do with it.  Similarly, Read more

I can safely say that I now know every inch of the Bodmin to Paddington train line having travelled up and down almost non-stop over the past month!  Of course, the reason for this is the opening of my new restaurant, Outlaw’s at The Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge.  As expected, Pete Biggs, who used to head up the S&G kitchen in Rock has everything running smoothly and we have had some lovely letters and e-mails from customers, both those who know us from Rock and those who are new to our simple style of cooking, congratulating us on bringing a little bit of Cornwall into London.  I am very proud of the way both the team at The Capital and my team from Rock have worked together to create a fresh, new dining experience for our London customers.

For some who have visited since we opened, our ethos of letting the very best quality ingredients speak for themselves without fussy cooking and overpowering sauces, has proved a little shocking.  Equally, having front of house staff who actually take time to chat with each guest in a relaxed and welcoming way has baffled some.  There is no doubt that Read more

I can’t believe that we’re coming towards the end of the summer already.  It dawned on me when I was flying back from London on Monday and I could see the colours of the trees turning from up above.  Of course, my children have returned to school and there’s a definite nip in the air when I leave the restaurant late in the evening but it wasn’t until I sat down to work out some dates in my diary that I realised how little of the year is left…and how much I still have to do!

Two events that were a pleasure to attend recently were the Newquay Fish Festival and the Goodwood Revival.  The Newquay event was great.  It was the first time I had attended and I had a really good time.  It was obvious that the Newquay community really understand fish and have a history steeped in the fishing industry.  They made me really welcome and I hope everyone who came to watch enjoyed themselves.

Last Sunday I attended The Goodwood Revival as part of my partnership with Davidstow, for once promoting their cheese instead of fish!  It was fascinating as the whole thing was based on a 50s theme; everyone really got into this and had dressed up for the occasion. Stalls were decorated as 50s shops which was very interesting if a bit strange.  I had a great time.

So, back to business!  The new restaurant at The Capital in Knightsbridge is now nearing its opening.  Pete Biggs, who was head chef in Outlaw’s in Rock is now up at there and is bringing everything around to our way of doing things.  New menus, new dishes, some new staff and by the end of September, new décor are all underway so that it will be ready for our customers when the doors open on 2^nd October.  All very exciting!

Another thing almost ready is Academy Nathan Outlaw at Cornwall College.  Interviews for limited places will take place this week and the course is planned and ready to go.  I’m overwhelmed at the amount of interest there has been both from young chefs applying for places and from prospective sponsors and supporters.  In particular I am extremely grateful to those individuals and companies who are willing to offer some amazing experiences for these young chefs to take part in.  It just goes to show that there is a realisation that education and industry need to work together if we are to produce high calibre young chefs in the future.

Here in Rock, Redas Katauskas, who came to the UK from Lithuania and qualified as a chef through Cornwall College, has taken over the reins as head chef in Outlaws, Rock.   It’s always satisfying as an employer to see someone making progress through their career.  Several of our employees have been promoted over the last couple of months and we have also welcomed another apprentice, Rory, who comes from Truro, into the fold as well.

Of course the coming of autumn brings our ever popular Master Class series.  We are in the middle of two very special events at the moment.  On 24^th September, I was be joined by Paul Ripley, Matthew Fort and Daphne Skinnard for an evening celebrating Cornish produce as part of the Cornwall Food & Drink Festival (more about how that went next time!) and on Friday 2^nd November, a special lunch event is being held in aid of Cancer Research as part of their ‘Turn the Town Pink’ campaign.  A few tickets are still available so why not come along?

Despite the terrible weather we have been experiencing this summer, we are fortunate to have been very busy in both Rock restaurants.  Although a very busy service can be a challenge for staff, I must say that mine always manage to smile.  We believe that a visit to our restaurants should be an experience where time can be taken to savour the food and relax.  We strive to allow customers the luxury of doing this, timing courses so that they don’t feel rushed.

The customer is at the heart of our business and customer feedback is something we take very seriously within Nathan Outlaw Restaurants Ltd.  In fact, the majority of our decisions to change things in the restaurants begin with comments received from guests.  We are always ready to listen and it is best when guests let us know their views whilst here so that any problems can be dealt with quickly.  I am pleased to say that for the most part, guests are happy and have an enjoyable time with us.  We often receive notes and cards expressing thanks for making a special occasion memorable, which is lovely, and those cards are displayed so that staff can see that they have ‘made a difference’.

One comment which has come up recently is that the menu choice in Outlaw’s in Rock appears limited.  If only the author had said something at the time we would have been able to explain that all our fish is responsibly fished, hence not serving species which are not sustainable; and the recent dreadful weather has meant that the day boat fishermen who catch the fish have not been able to get out to sea, thus depleting the catch available to them and, in turn, us!  Simple really, but once explained it hopefully makes sense.

Talking of fishing, a very exciting development I can now reveal is that Looe Harbour Board have passed the plans for me to open a new restaurant in an old fish processing unit on Looe Harbour.  My dream of having a fish restaurant in a place where fishing has always been such a vital part of the community is one that I have held for many years and I am going to do my very best to see that my restaurant there will be an asset to the town.  More news to follow soon!

I consider myself very fortunate in having extremely talented staff who are loyal and willing to give their all in an effort to make each of our guests have a dining experience which is truly memorable.  I have often mentioned both in my blog and in Press interviews, my commitment to educating and nurturing young chefs but in the last few months I have also been seeking ways to help my more senior staff develop their careers.  As with all people who are career-minded, three of my senior chefs have been, quite rightly, looking at ways to progress and, as I value their exceptional talent, continued loyalty and constant support, I am excited to have been able to do something about this.

Many of you will have seen the Press coverage about my move into London.  On 2^nd October, Outlaw’s will open at The Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge.  The opportunity came, as they often do, purely by chance and following a light-hearted discussion with the owner, David Levin.  I wasn’t actively seeking to move into London, even though many of my supporters had suggested I should, but the more I’ve thought about it, the more attractive the prospect has become.  I will say here though, this does not mean I’m leaving Cornwall!

The Capital is an excellent, well-established hotel … Read more

Since I last managed to get to the computer to write a blog, a lot has happened.  I can’t believe we’re already half way through the year.  I can’t refer to summer as it hasn’t arrived in Cornwall yet!  Mind you we did have a few days in June where guests were able to take advantage of the wonderful view across the Camel Valley from our terrace and it was warm enough to have a leisurely lunch out there.

In my last blog, I said that I was about to do something exciting but couldn’t say what.  Well, what I did was visit Downing Street.  I can remember being taken to see the outside of Downing Street on the usual tourist trip around London as a child but I never thought I would actually go inside…and by invitation!

The occasion was organised in conjunction with the Sustainable Restaurants Association.  It was a gathering of chefs from… Read more

I am getting very used to the journey between Bodmin and London now as I seem to be making it virtually every week at present.  In a way, I don’t mind as it gives me some time to sit quietly, mull things over and dream up ideas for new dishes.  I’m not one for having telephone conversations on the train, for one I don’t think other passengers would be very interested in what I have to say about fish prices and the like and also it can be a pain reception-wise,  so I take this time to plug in my Ipod (what did I ever do without one?)and sit back to take some time out.

A couple of weeks ago when travelling there, it was a little more lively than usual as I was accompanied by my good friend, Mitch Tonks.   We were off to the Groucho Club in Soho, not for a jolly (honestly!) but for the official launch of our new books.   The people at the Groucho Club made us very welcome and we had an interesting evening chatting to those who had come to see what we had managed to produce…and eat some examples cooked by us to prove that the recipes really do work!

I am pleased to say that those who have had early copies of my book ‘Nathan Outlaw’s British Seafood’ seem to think it I’ve done a half decent job.  I’ve already had some feedback from people who have cooked something using one of the recipes and had good results so I hope that once its published more people will have a go at fish cookery and it becomes the book I want it to be – one that is used and not just left on a coffee table for show.  Fish is a great ingredient and we don’t use enough varieties of it in this country.

Something that I’m sorry I missed happened in the kitchen on Tuesday when we took delivery of two huge cod.  Apparently, they were so big that there was a constant stream of staff coming to look at them and Danny (of course) proudly showed them off before he deftly gutted and portioned them to go on the menu that evening.  I’m told that they were so heavy that Danny had trouble lifting them…perhaps a little storytelling coming into play there?  Now, I can hear you tutting about the use of cod but the fact is that in some waters around our coastline they are sustainable, as they are off the Cornish coast and be assured that they were caught according to the Responsible Fishing Scheme, as is all the seafood we use in the restaurants.

Someone we are missing this week is one of our young chefs, Georgie.  She is the only female chef we have at present and is proving to be very talented.  She is off in France on a gastronomic tour with Cornwall College as part of her course and from the tweets she’s been sending, is having a fantastic time and is particularly taken with the patisserie she’s seen.  No doubt she’ll be back next week with lots of ideas to try out on us.  Can’t wait!

Finally, I was in again on Monday, but I can’t tell you why at present…you’ll just have to read my blog next week!

I ventured into Devon last Sunday as I had been asked to do a demonstration at the Exeter Food and Drink Festival which was held in the grounds of Exeter Castle and the adjoining Northernhay Gardens.  It was an extremely well organised affair and I must give a special mention to the Exeter Sea Scouts who helped out with directing the crowds, and the young chefs from Michael Caines Academy who did all the prep in the demonstration kitchen.   Even though the weather had been unsettled for the few days before, on the Sunday the clouds disappeared and the sun shone for most of the day adding to the fantastic atmosphere there.

Really, doing this demonstration wasn’t what I’d call ‘work’ as I was there with my good friends, Micheal Caines, the driving force behind the festival and Mitch Tonks from the Seahorse in Dartmouth, who had agreed to  go ‘head to head’ with me cooking two dishes using the same basic ingredients, squid and lemon sole.  My offerings were Squid and Asparagus Salad with Ink Vinagarette and Lemon Sole with Oyster Sauce, Cucumber and Horseradish whilst Mitch cooked Squid in Squid Ink with Spaghetti and Whole Lemon Sole with Balsamic and Capers.   We were fortunate to draw a fantastic crowd who seemed to enjoy not only the cooking demonstration but also the banter between us, particularly when I was off guard and stupidly agreed to smell Mitch’s hot vinegar which made my eyes water for ages afterwards. Why did I do that?  Every student chef gets caught by that trick so I really should have known better!  However, I did get my own back at the end as the crowd voted for my dishes, in albeit a very light-hearted competition.

I was amazed at the variety of stalls on display at the festival; a reminder of the wonderful array of produce the South West has to offer.  This was a really serious ‘foodie’ event with lots of delicious and interesting food items to enjoy but I was also really pleased to see stalls featuring information about various aspects of food too.  Even kids were catered for with a whole area dedicated to them and run by the people from Crealy, making it a truly family event.  My two had a great time in the food and drink pavilions, tasting all sorts of things from hot fudge sauce, granola and jams to cheeses, chutneys and mustards.  We also found one where they had sea buckthorn ice-cream on offer!   It was really good to see stall holders who were happy to let children taste and take time to talk to them about their products, what goes into them and how they are made thus encouraging the next generation of ‘foodies’.

Another thing that fascinated all of us was the stall run by the Severn and Wye Valley Smokery who had two tanks of elvers (tiny eels) swimming about.   The guy looking after them was really knowledgeable and chatted away to us about their project and the eels.  Apparently, they are placing these tanks in local schools for the students to look after until the eels are big enough to release them back into local streams.  What a fantastic way of getting children in involved in the issues surrounding sustainability!

I like doing festivals but, of course, I do have to limit how many I can do each year or I would be out every Sunday, not something that would go down well at home!  This year I will be appearing at several across the summer months, Port Eliot Festival, The Crab Festival in Dartmouth, Cornwall Food and Drink Festival in Truro and Boscastle Festival.  I’ll give you more details nearer the dates.  Hopefully, the sun will shine on them all and I’ll see you there!