Weekly Grill: Scott Paton, head chef at Boringdon Hall, tells us about the joy of peaches and an unwanted sausage
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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