Meet the Chefs - Angus McCaig | Matt Mason | Dhruv Baker |

Angus McCaig

The Holt, Honiton

Angus is Head Chef at the family-owned The Holt in Honiton, an award winning pub that has made a name for itself by transforming quality local produce using techniques such as home-smoking and -curing to accompany the full range of Otter beers as well as fine wines. Angus now offers bread making days as well as smoking and curing classes.

www.theholt-honiton.com

Darrin Hosegrove

Ashburton Cookery School

After training at Exeter College, Darrin began his career at Gidleigh Park followed by working for several years in fine dining restaurants around the UK. His love of teaching brought him back to Exeter College, and he joined the Ashburton Cookery School in 2004 with the vision to create a cookery school with a strong ethos supporting South West producers and artisan suppliers. In 2012, Darrin was responsible for launching the Ashburton Chefs Academy.

www.ashburtoncookeryschool.co.uk 

James Nathan

Chef & Masterchef Winner 2008

The winner of BBC MasterChef 2008, James left a career as a barrister to immerse himself in the kitchens of some amazing and inspiring restaurants, including Gidleigh Park, The Bath Priory, Le Gavroche and The Seafood Restaurant. He opened his first restaurant in 2013, The Green Room at Retallack Resort and Spa in Cornwall where his unique style of food is quickly gathering a large following.

www.retallackresort.com 

Mat Follas

Winner of Masterchef 2009

Well-known as a BBC MasterChef winner in 2009, New Zealand-raised Mat now owns and runs his own restaurant, the Wild Garlic, in Dorset. He loves to travel widely throughout Europe and South East Asia, and this wide exposure to different cultures and food is reflected in his cooking.

www.thewildgarlic.co.uk

www.thewildgarlicblog.co.uk

Michael Caines MBE

Michael Caines Restaurants & Gidleigh Park

The inspiration behind the Festival, Michael is the Executive Chef at Gidleigh Park, where he has held two Michelin stars for the past 14 years, as well as a Director of Brownsword Hotels and Michael Caines Restaurants. Born in Exeter, he has long been a champion of the South West and the outstanding quality of its local produce. Michael was awarded an MBE in 2006 for Services to the Hospitality Industry and AA Chef’s Chef of the Year in 2007.

www.michaelcaines.com 

Jackie Kearney

The Hungry Gecko & Masterchef Finalist

The chef and owner of The Hungry Gecko, Jackie was finalist in BBC MasterChef 2011. Since then she has been developing her experience and reputation through pop-up dining events, a vegetarian fine dining club and pursing her Asian street food venture in her iconic trailer, Barbarella.  She loves to create food that is exciting, delicious and thought provoking.

www.thehungrygecko.com 

Andy Appleton

Fifteen, Cornwall

Andy Appleton has been a big part of the Fifteen family for many years now; originally a Senior Sous chef at Fifteen London, he was part of the team that launched the Fifteen concept back in 2002. Andy loves everything about Italian food and went on to become Head Chef at the Italian-style Tabernacle Bar and Grill in Shoreditch, London before moving to Fifteen Cornwall in 2007. He’s been Head Chef here since March 2010.

For Andy, Italian food is about more than the recipes – it’s a whole attitude and lifestyle that makes great food the focus of every day. It’s about sourcing the best seasonal ingredients at their peak, and letting them do the talking without unnecessary clutter and complexities. Taking rustic, Italian dishes and adding a contemporary Fifteen Cornwall twist, Andy creates unique menus that bring the best of Italy and Cornwall together on a plate.

Neil Haydock

Watergate Bay

It’s fair to say that Executive Chef Neil Haydock has always been obsessed with food. Growing up in rural Lancashire, his grandfather taught him a love of traditional countryside foods, from game to foraged wild ingredients, and his decision to become a chef was made very early. Throughout his career, Neil has retained this passion for local, seasonal foods; he has always sought small-scale local artisan producers to give his menus a real sense of place.

Neil’s experience includes senior roles at a number of highly regarded restaurants, including the Sandy Lane Hotel in Barbados, Terence Conran’s Bluebird in London and most recently, as Executive Chef at Fifteen Cornwall. Now controlling The Hotel’s Brasserie, The Living Space and The Beach Hut, Neil is building on Watergate Bay’s reputation as an outstanding food destination, creating diverse, contemporary menus that showcase the very best of Cornwall’s produce while taking inspiration from around the world.

Tim Bouget

Ode, Shaldon

Devon born Tim Bouget’s culinary journey started at Exeter college and he has gone on to cook with the likes of the Roux brothers and Gaulteiro Marchesi, cooking for Luciano Pavorotti, U2, Donna Karen and Nelson Mandela among others.

 On returning to his home county from overseas in late 2006 Tim and his wife Clare opened their own restaurant called “ODE” in picturesque coastal village of Shaldon, South Devon.

 last year saw the opening of their latest venture “Café ODE” a purpose built family friendly café and take away at Ness Cove in Shaldon

ODE holds 2 AA rosettes is listed in all the major guides including Michelin, Good food Guide, Trenchermans and Hardens.

www.odetruefood.co.uk

Mark Dodson

Masons Arms

Having spent 12 years at The Waterside Inn, Bray as Michel Roux’s Head Chef and 3 years as Executive Chef at Cliveden, Taplow, Mark decided to spread his wings to Devon. He and his wife Sarah bought the 13th Century Masons Arms, Knowstone in 2005 and the accolades have followed, including a Michelin Star, first awarded in 2006, six months after opening and retained since. In 2008 the Masons Arms was named as North Devon’s Best Restaurant, in September 2009 Michelin chose it to be it’s 2010 Pub of the Year and in 2011 it was named as North Devon’s Best  Pub.

The Masons Arms, Mark and Sarah Dodsons’ Thirteenth Century characterful thatched Inn with a beamed bar, lounge, patio and restaurant to the rear. Offering log fires and a warm welcome.  An à la carte menu and seasonal lunchtime specialities are served in relaxed surroundings overlooking the rolling foothills of Exmoor. Real Ale on draught and Champagne by the glass. There is also a concise, good value, wine list largely French with a smattering of New Worlders.
www.masonsarmsdevon.co.uk
 

Peter Gorton

Gorton's

Consultant and celebrity chef Peter Gorton and Masterchef of Great Britain is one of the best-known chefs in the south west of England.

Peter has many years of Michelin Star experience and provides consultancy services to hotels and restaurants. He also runs a very successful outside catering business. He works extensively with schools in food education and has recently opened his new dining club/restaurant in Tavistock; Devon called ‘Gortons’ for up to 25 people.

Peter began his culinary career in 1980 at the age of 16 and trained at some of the finest restaurants in the UK and around the world, from The Walnut Tree in Abergavenny to the Burnham Beaches Hotel in Melbourne, Australia and Jamin in Paris. He has made a number television series including Little Chefs, a six-part programme for ITV Westcountry, and Kill It, Cook It, Eat It for BBC3. Peter is happy in the media spotlight and regularly contributes to magazine articles and recipe columns for the local and national media. He is also a regular voice on BBC Radio Devon’s Breakfast Show where he gives tips and recipe ideas to listeners on the show’s ‘phone-in’.

Look out for his latest book ‘Devon Food Heroes’.

www.petergortonmasterchef.co.uk 

Craig Sampson

The HH Restaurant

After working 10 years at The Jack in the Green, Craig, together with his new business partners Stephen and Debbie Hill, embarked in 2010 on a journey to transform a small, run-down 17th century coachhouse into an elegant fine dining destination. The result is The HH Restaurant in Broadclyst which has already won a Taste of the West Gold award, amongst other accolades.

www.the-hh.com

Lesley Waters

Lesley Waters Cookery School

Well-known for her regular television appearances, Lesley likes to cook seasonal food whenever possible and her simple, modern style creates dishes that are simply stunning. Teaching has always been her great passion, and she now has her own cookery school in Dorset. She has also recently opened her first café and restaurant, Lesley Waters Kitchen, in Yeovil.

www.lesleywaters.com www.lesleywaters.com

Nathan Outlaw

Restaurant Nathan Outlaw in Rock

Nathan Outlaw was introduced to the professional kitchen by his father at the age of 8 when he was allowed to flip toast for the breakfast service! He attended Thanet Technical College in Kent and his first job was at the Intercontinental – Hyde Park Corner, learning his skills under the late Peter Kromberg.

Having worked for several esteemed chefs, Nathan eventually found his way to Rick Stein in Padstow, where his passion for fish was ignited.

 In 2003, Nathan opened his first restaurant, The Black Pig in Rock and within a year was awarded his first Michelin star. Following other ventures, he finally settled at the St Enodoc Hotel in Rock, Cornwall where his fine dining Restaurant Nathan Outlaw now holds 2 Michelin stars. Alongside this is The Seafood & Grill where his team of chefs cook under Nathan’s guidance. In both settings, Nathan is proud to champion local fish, meat and produce cooked simply to showcase the flavours. He is also passionate about educating young chefs.

Nathan has appeared on BBC’s‘Great British Menu’ and is a regular guest chef on ‘Saturday Kitchen’.

Dez Turland

Group Development Chef at Brend Hotels

Development Chef for the Brend Hotels Group means that Dez works across 13 different properties. Always passionate about food and dedicated to the industry, his knowledge and credibility drives forward excellence in the Group. in 2012 he was one of just 10 UK finalists in the British Culinary Federation Chef of the Year competition.

www.brend-hotels.co.uk

Tom Cull

Dartmoor Kitchen & Tom's Pies

Tom Cull is Director & Head Chef of Dartmoor Kitchen - the West County's most stylish and multi award winning catering company. He is also creator of Tom's Pies, gourmet Devon pies, tarts and cakes. Raised on Dartmoor and cooking with homegrown food from his Mothers garden from an early age, Tom possesses a raw talent for creative and delicious food. He went on to work as head chef in prestigious kitchens across Australia and on private charter yachts in the Caribbean before creating Dartmoor Kitchen in 2004 in a converted barn on his families organic farm near Chagford.

After years of hard work and a TV documentary to boot, Dartmoor Kitchen is at the top of it's game and winner of 'Southwest's Wedding Caterer' award 4 years running. Tom's Pies whilst still being sold in small Devonian outlets such as Post Offices and Farm shops are now also gracing the deli counters of Harrods, Selfridges and Fortnum&Mason to name a few.

Dhruv Baker

Winner of BBC MasterChef 2010, Dhruv is currently a food writer working for a number of publications. His first book is due out in Spring 2014. He lives in London with his wife Aileen and two sons and is looking at sites to open his own restaurant later this year.

www.dhruvbaker.com

Matt Mason

Jack in the Green

For the past eighteen years, Matthew has been delighting hungry diners with his locally inspired menus and winning plenty of awards along the way including ‘South West Chef of the Year’. Always striving for excellence, Matthew and the team have turned the Jack into a well-loved destination famed for its innovative and affordable food. In October they were voted 52^nd in the UK’s Top 100 Restaurants.

Sam Moody

The Bath Priory

Progressing from his first role at the Michelin starred Ockenden Manor, Sam joined Michael Caines’ two-star Michelin team at Gidleigh Park. He spent two years working through every section, honing his cooking skills. Now Head Chef at Gidleigh’s sister property The Bath Priory, Sam and his team are proud to have earned a Michelin star of their own.

www.thebathpriory.co.uk

Ian Webber

Gidleigh Park

Ian has been working with Michael Caines since 2006, first as Head Chef at Gidleigh Park and now as Executive Chef at Michael Caines at ABode Exeter. Ian is passionate about Devon and its outstanding local produce, so both venues have provided him with the perfect opportunity to demonstrate his skilful interpretations of the region’s food.

www.michaelcaines.com/restaurants/exeter

Robert Andrew

Riverford Field Kitchen

Rob took over as Head Chef in The Riverford Field Kitchen in 2012 where his creative culinary background suits the Riverford philosophy of good food and good farming. Everything is cooked fresh and the menu changes daily to reflect the best fruit and vegetables coming in from the fields and growers.

www.riverford.co.uk/restaurant

Russell Brown

Sienna, Dorchester

Russell and his wife Elena opened Sienna, in Dorchester, ten years ago - their efforts were rewarded when Sienna won a Michelin star in 2010, the only starred restaurant in Dorset. Russell’s food takes its lead from the seasons, utilising the best produce available, much of it from the South West region.

www.chefrussellbrown.co.uk

Ben Bulger

Magdalen Chapter

Head Chef at Exeter’s Magdalen Chapter, and Devon Life Chef of the Year 2012, Ben is a great champion of fresh, seasonal local produce. Before coming to Magadalen Chapter, he worked alongside Jane Baxter at the Riverford Field Kitchen, using the freshest organic produce straight from the surrounding fields. His style is simple, well-executed cooking.

www.themagdalenchapter.com

Tom Cook

Dartmoor Kitchen

Tom Cook has worked as a chef since the age of 15 with humble beginnings as a kitchen porter in his home town of Totnes. On discovering his true passion and flair for food he moved to London and trained under Jean-Christophe Novelli before working with culinary luminaries such as Marco Pierre White and Mark Gregory. When the lure of the West Country became too strong, he returned to Devon and worked as a sous chef for Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall at River Cottage. Here he rediscovered his love of local & ethically sourced food. Tom has now joined Dartmoor Kitchen as head chef of the outside catering team but also has a developmental role working on new recipes & products.

Mark Hix

Hix Oyster & Chop House

Celebrated chef, restaurateur and food writer Mark Hix is known for his original take on British gastronomy. He opened his first restaurant in 2008 - the distinguished Hix Oyster & Chop House in Smithfield, and has since opened a further five establishments all to great critical acclaim.

www.restaurantsetcltd.co.uk

Simon Hulstone

The Elephant

Simon has been cooking professionally since his school days and is one of the UK’s most decorated chefs.  Since becoming head chef at Michelin-starred The Elephant, Simon has brought his extensive influence of traditional and world cuisine to Torbay.

www.elephantrestaurant.co.uk

Darren Knockton

Olive Tree

Darren, Head Chef at Exeter’s Olive Tree, came to Devon from London, where he cooked for former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, as well as Her Majesty The Queen, The Queen Mother, Prince Charles and NATO heads of summit. For Darren, locally sourced, sustainable, seasonal produce has always been a top priority that is reflected in his menus.

www.queenscourt-hotel.co.uk

Lin Pidsley

Hix Oyster & Fish House

Lin has been working in the restaurant business since she was just 13. She studied at Exeter College and worked locally and at The Castle, Taunton, before joining the Hix Oyster & Fish House, rising through the ranks and becoming Head Chef in 2012. She lives on her family farm and shows cattle in her spare time.

www.restaurantsetcltd.co.uk

Anton Pitrowski

Masterchef 2012 Winner

Anton is an up and coming name in the world of food. He enjoyed huge success with the BBC MasterChef the Professionals 2012, emerging as joint winner. At the Treby Arms, a ‘gastro-pub’ at Sparkwell, he grows his own produce and loves working with outstanding local suppliers, many of whom are regulars in the pub.

www.thetrebyarms.co.uk

Brett Sutton

The Eastbury Hotel

Brett is the multi-award-winning Head Chef of The Eastbury Hotel in Sherborne, Dorset. Brett lives and breathes his philosophy of local sourcing, working with famers, growers, gamekeepers and breeders just a stone’s throw from The Eastbury. He also grows vegetables, herbs and fruit inside the hotel’s walled garden, where he keeps honey-producing bees.

www.theeastburyhotel.co.uk

Chris & James Tanner

Tanners Restaurant

It was a childhood dream of the Tanner brothers to own and operate their own establishment. This year Tanners celebrates its 13th birthday. To compliment Tanners, the brothers opened the highly popular Barbican Kitchen brasserie within the Plymouth Gin Distillery. They appear frequently on television and James’ first solo book was published in 2010.

www.tannersrestaurant.com

Rob Dawe

Ashburton Cookery School

Rob Dawe has been Chef Manager of the Cookery School since 2005 and is a popular course tutor. Rob has worked in several fine dining establishments including as Senior Sous-Chef at the RAC Club in Pall Mall and Head Chef at the popular Puffing Billy Restaurant in Exmouth.

Mark Rossi

Group Executive Head Chef at Brownsword Hotels.

 After gaining his qualification in food production at West Herts College, Mark started his career in the kitchens of some of the UK’s best restaurants including three Michelin starred Chez Nico, three Michelin starred Waterside Inn, two Michelin starred Gidleigh Park and the two Michelin starred Square.

Having worked with Michael Caines for eleven years Mark’s career with Brownsword Hotels began at Gidleigh Park as chef de partie where he rose to junior sous chef before taking his first executive role at ABode Canterbury where he oversaw the kitchens and their development.

Today Mark works with Michael across all the restaurants in the Brownsword Hotels collection, with a particular focus on developing the new Café Bar and Grill menu at the ABode hotels.

Mark is extremely passionate about the food he produces always striving to create interesting dishes using the best possible ingredients.

Mark and Michael will be showcasing some of their new dishes from the menu at this year’s Gourmet On The Go.