Weekly Grill: Scott Paton, head chef at Boringdon Hall, tells us about the joy of peaches and an unwanted sausage
Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Scott Paton, head chef at Boringdon Hall Hotel. I oversee all food outlets within the 5-star country house hotel in Devon.
Tell us about your new menu
We have a new multi-course experience in the pipeline, a journey through the history of the hotel, which dates back to 1086.
You come home drunk and hungry – what do you cook?
Salted buttery toast, no messing.
What’s the strangest encounter you’ve had in your restaurant?
A guy once came and had a traditional French cassoulet, he asked to see me and proceeded to raise his voice insisting I had put the Toulouse sausage on his plate as a joke to insinuate something… I left the situation wondering what had just happened.
What’s your earliest food memory?
Making bread in primary school, we had a French day and we made very basic baguettes and dipped them in hot chocolate, as a six-year-old I was living the dream.
Tell us about the best meal you ever had
When I was 16 I ventured up to London on the train to Tom Aikens’ restaurant in Chelsea, which had just been awarded one star. The bread selection springs to mind: 17 different varieties. I had the tasting menu – it was my first Michelin-starred experience and a very fond memory.
What’s your favourite dish?
I love peaches. Peach melba has to be my favourite, in any form. Ripe tasty peaches are so hard to beat. We do a version here which incorporates lots of different temperatures and textures. It’s beautiful – both on the palate and plate.
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever put in your mouth?
Smoked crow… That’s a bad memory I don’t want to relive.
What should everyone have in their kitchen cupboard?
Salt, bread and butter.
• Boringdon Hall is in Boringdon Hill, Colebrook, Plymouth, PL7 4DP; To book a stay go to boringdonhall.co.uk or call 01752 344455