Words by Rosie Cattrell
Surrounded by an abundance of top-quality produce, two local head chefs have been making their own unique impressions on the Cornish cuisine scene.
It’s no secret that within Cornwall’s borders, food quite often takes centre stage. Edged with deep crystalline seas and painted in a patchwork of green open fields, it’s no wonder that the treasure found beneath the surface of land and water in the Duchy makes for a rich natural larder that many a local chef is grateful to hold the key to.
While guests are welcomed from far and wide to set down their suitcases and enjoy Cornwall’s enchanting coastal setting from the comfort of a stunning collection of hotels, it seems only right that the very best of them have brought their own showcase of Cornish cuisine to the forefront of their offering.
Resting on the very edge of the River Fal, The Greenbank in Falmouth is one such hotel. While the water laps at the beach below and sailboats sway with the pull of the tide, the Water’s Edge restaurant certainly makes the most of this serene setting. Fronted by a panoramic riverside vista, each diner is invited to take a seat in front of the uninterrupted view which, perhaps surprisingly, is not the best part of this exceptional experience.
Home to a two AA Rosette award for 2024 to 2025, and one of Food Lifestyle’s five finalists for Hotel of the Year 2024, The Greenbank’s own Water’s Edge restaurant has made a name for itself when it comes to top-tier Cornish dining experiences. In a conversation with the man at the heart of it all, Head Chef Bobby Southworth lets me in on the secrets to his culinary success.
Tell me about your experience as a chef here in Cornwall.
I feel quite privileged to be a Cornish lad who’s been able to build his whole career right here in Falmouth, and I’ve worked with some incredible chefs along the way. There’s the king of seafood, Tom Brown of the Pearly Queen who’s just been voted as having the best oysters in London. Cornish boy Gavin Edney, Executive Chef of the Headland Hotel. And then there’s Nick Hodges, Executive Chef of the Cornwall Hotel Collection. He gave me the keys to the Water’s Edge eight years ago, and just let me be me.
What do you think people today are looking for when it comes to an exceptional dining experience in Cornwall?
One thing that’s so important is to be consistent in the food you deliver. You need to set the bar high, and then keep it there. With so many amazing local ingredients at our fingertips, there’s no need to overcomplicate things. Let the heart of the dish speak for itself. Along with some first-class service, that’s how you build a reputation in this industry.
Tell me about the hotel’s relationship with local suppliers, and why it’s so important when it comes to the food offering.We have a range of local suppliers that we rely on everyday for fresh ingredients. Celtic Fish in Newlyn, for instance, provide us with fresh Cornish fish every morning for the day ahead. Canara Farm, our vegetable supplier, are located on the hills that can be seen from the restaurant. Etherington’s in Scorrier supplies our meat, Greet Cheese in Truro provides us with the most amazing cheese, and Knightor Winery in Saint Austell offer the most delicious pairings to the menu. We’d be nothing without the incredible suppliers that catch, rear, grow and craft these incredible products right on our doorstep.
Tell me a bit about the inspiration behind the current menu.
We like to lean into ingredients that are naturally available at the time, seeking out flavours that reflect the seasons – think classic dishes with a twist, built with ingredients that complement each other. While I curate the menus, we’ve got such a strong team in the kitchen that there’s an element of collaboration when it comes to finalising dishes. Aaron Rawlings for instance, our Pastry Chef, is so knowledgeable and has such creative flair when it comes to desserts.
If you were to sit down to eat at the Water’s Edge, what would be your pick from the menu?
There are some really exciting dishes coming up on our new menu. I’d have to start with the lamb scotch egg. This is something you’re not going to want to miss, a perfect intro to a winter meal. The main event has got to be duck and cherry – a duo of duck confit leg and breast with a festive twist. To round it all off, you can’t go wrong with one of Aaron’s tiramisus, it really is incredible stuff.
Tell me about the Bobby’s Taste of Cornwall evenings.
These are my favourite events to do. I get to spend a whole evening with my guests and share what I love doing with them. I always love to see smiling faces and empty plates, and I think it’s very rare these days that customers have that interaction with the chef who’s behind their dining experience. It’s all about showcasing what we can do here in Cornwall with the ingredients that we’re so lucky to have around us. That’s what it’s all about – I just love talking about food!
And he’s not the only one. Over at The Greenbank’s sister hotel, The Alverton, Head Chef Ollie Wyatt channels his own passion for fine local flavours into the hotel’s culinary offering. Clad in ivy and shrouded in ancient trees, The Alverton historic Grade II-listed architecture can feel like a world all its own with the bustling cathedral city of Truro carrying on around it, and the same goes for its popular restaurant.
How would you describe the dining experience at The Alverton? We try to create a casual dining atmosphere here, with fine regional food at the heart of it all. It’s about celebrating good Cornish ingredients, and with some fantastic local suppliers on hand, only the best quality food is served. I’ve had a relationship with Cornwall Fish Direct for over ten years, and WestCountry Fruit Sales for about 25. If you want only the very best, it’s all about who you know.
Tell me a little bit about the restaurant’s culinary offering. Here at The Alverton, we like to try to keep things as simple as possible, whilst playing on the incredible natural flavours that we’re afforded living here in Cornwall. Everything on the menu is something I’d like to eat myself, and while everything on your plate is carefully considered, we like to take the fuss and pomp away from the food so all that’s left is incredible flavours that speak for themselves.
Talk me through some of your experiences before you came to the hotel. As a Cornish guy, I’ve been lucky enough to develop my career down here in the South West. I’ve held senior positions at Cornish establishments like the Pandora Inn, The Headland Hotel, and The Cove. Each road has led me to The Alverton, and with almost three years under my belt here, every day only gets more exciting.
What would be your pick of The Alverton’s current menu? It’s got to be the beef carpaccio to start. Really rich, deep flavours just warm you up when it’s cold out. For the main event my favourite dish at the moment would be the BBQ monkfish, it’s a pleasure to cook as well as to eat! I’m not a sweet tooth myself, so a bit of cheese to finish it all off is just the thing.
Tell me about some of The Alverton’s food-focussed events that happen throughout the year.
This is where it gets really exciting. Throughout the summer I’ll come and barbeque out on the terrace, and when events like Lobster on the Lawn come around, we get to really throw ourselves into the day and interact with our guests. With my Taste of Truro event coming up on 5th March, I’m sure St Piran would be proud of the five-course tasting menu I’ve got planned.
With Cornwall clearly rooted in the hearts of head chef and hotel alike, it’s clear that The Greenbank and The Alverton are home to two dining experiences with a local larder of land and sea at the very centre of it all, just waiting for you to take your seat.
With culinary events taking place throughout the year, head to the hotel websites for more information and to reserve your seat at the table.
