Carla’s firmly cemented The Reef Knot Restaurant, at The Idle Rocks Hotel, as the go-to destination for the freshest seafood on The Roseland Peninsula. Prior to joining, Carla’s expertise won a silver medal at the Culinary Olympics and her talent and dedication to her craft were further recognised when she featured on MasterChef: The Professionals in 2018.
Mark Hix is an acclaimed British chef, restaurateur, and food writer known for championing British seasonal ingredients. With a career spanning over three decades, Hix made his name as Chef Director of Caprice Holdings before launching his own restaurants, including the iconic HIX Oyster & Chop House. A passionate advocate for sustainable sourcing and traditional techniques, he is also a regular contributor to national publications and the author of several cookbooks.
Paul was born and raised in North Yorkshire and has recently moved to Cornwall – having spent his career working with some of the best British chefs including Gary Rhodes, Richard Corrigan and Andrew Pern amongst others – to open his new restaurant Fern.
Former Stein’s head chef Ross Geach is the owner and head grower at Padstow Kitchen Garden, supplying vegetables to top restaurants in Cornwall and beyond. As a seventh-generation farmer, Ross turned a hobby into a thriving business, harvesting in the morning and personally delivering to local chefs by lunchtime.
Since growing up in his parents’ guesthouse in Southampton, Paul Ainsworth has spent a lifetime in hospitality and worked for Gordan Ramsay before creating The Ainsworth Collection. Paul Ainsworth at No6 in Padstow won a Michelin star in 2013 and today the Collection also includes Caffé Rojano, Padstow Townhouse and The Mariner’s Public House in Rock.
Rick was born on the Channel Islands surrounded by fish. His mother trained at Cordon Bleu and her enthusiasm for food, particularly fish, was passed on to Rick.
With a passion for food ingrained in his blood, Rick left a career in design and went on to manage various sites for Fishworks before realising his and wife Katie’s joint dream of owning their own restaurant.
What Nick doesn’t know about fish, isn’t worth knowing. He grew up working the land with his family growing everything from potatoes to a small vineyard. Nicks worked across the Rick Stein’s Padstow restaurants and in 2016 took over the role as Head Chef Lecturer at the Rick Stein Cookery School – a role he was born to do.
Ben Quinn is a chef, coach, and founder of Canteen—a legendary, community-led café space in Cornwall—and Woodfired Canteen, a roaming events company celebrated for its long-table feasts in unusual locations.
Pete’s born and bred in Padstow and he’s now Head Chef of Rick Stein’s flagship restaurant The Seafood Restaurant.
The First in our Meet the Chef’s series of Journal Entries.
