Two Michelin-starred chef Nathan Outlaw shares his signature summer recipes that are perfect for al fresco dining
It didn’t just happen overnight, Restaurant Nathan Outlaw has been the culmination of many years of work and development. Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, as we know it today, came about in 2007 in Fowey, and moved to St Enodoc Hotel in Rock in 2010. At that time, I was running two separate restaurants within the hotel, Outlaw’s Seafood & Grill, and Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, an intimate restaurant offering fine dining.
It was at St Enodoc that I took the risky decision to offer a seafood tasting menu only, coupled with service that was relaxed and friendly, albeit of the highest standard. It was quite unlike most other restaurants of a similar calibre. The gamble paid off and soon after opening the restaurant was awarded two Michelin stars – the first exclusively seafood restaurant in the UK to achieve this accolade.
During our time at St Enodoc Hotel, I set about building a high-quality core team, many of whom are still with me today. I came to realise that to have the best staff, I needed to offer opportunities for training and education for young chefs and front-of-house staff.
In 2015, by coincidence, a restaurant building in the nearby fishing village of Port Isaac became available. We had opened a small restaurant, Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, in the picturesque spot a couple of years earlier. The cliff-top location, overlooking the bay where local fishermen can be seen working, made it the ideal place for customers to be eating the very best, locally caught fish and seafood available. It was time for me and my wife, Rachel, to branch out on our own.
Since Restaurant Nathan Outlaw first opened its doors to customers I’ve kept to my vision of offering high-quality, relaxed hospitality and a menu which brings out the best of our seafood and other local ingredients. It is cooking that seems overtly simple, but it is actually pretty complex in its flavour combinations. Customers are treated as old friends, and seeing them enjoy not just the food but the whole experience is of paramount importance to me and my staff. And the rest, as they say, is history!
Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Bloomsbury Absolute, £45.
