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Scarlet Hotel has appointed Jack Clayton as the latest Head Chef of the hotel’s sea view restaurant in Mawgan Porth, Cornwall.  Since starting his career in 2009, in some of the East Midlands most well-respected restaurants, Jack has achieved 3 rosettes, 2 Bib Gourmand awards and the Nottingham Head Chef of the year award. His move to Scarlet comes as an opportunity to advance a lifelong passion for sustainability, fusing flavours and foraging.

Perched on the southwest coastal path, Scarlet’s restaurant offers captivating views of the coastline, easily explored from the hotel. Stroll from coast to cuisine and discover an exquisite meal of seasonal, responsibly sourced food alongside slow-aged wine, expertly paired by the in-house sommelier Nick Bryant. The restaurant is open to both residents and non-residents for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner daily. The day menu is a casual affair which seamlessly transitions into more of a fine dining experience in the evening with a seven-course tasting menu, inspired by Jack’s commitments to organic local produce.

Highlights of the menu include: White gazpacho, featuring almond, cucumber, grape, mint and garlic, or Sea Trout pastrami, complimented by horseradish, cucumber mustard seeds and soda bread to start. Mains showcase locally caught fish, such as Whole John Dory served with leek, parsley, lemon butter sauce and herring eggs and meat dishes such as Warren’s lamb rump with broad bean, pea, tarragon, hung yoghurt and oyster leaf. Desert choices range from Chocolate choux with hazelnut, dulce de leche and vanilla ice cream to Peach with mascarpone parfait, almond cookie and rosemary.

Jack’s philosophy for the Scarlet restaurant is centred on showcasing the journey of each ingredient, from the catching of the fish through to the artful presentation of each dish.  The menu at Scarlet is a daily celebration of nature and to this end, Jack’s plans for the restaurant include coastal foraging courses for hotel guests and achieving a Michelin green star in 2023.

Career History 

After achieving a bib gourmand and dining pub of the year in his first appointed Head Chef position in Nottingham, Jack realised his love for fish and decided to make the move to Cornwall. His first position in Cornwall was at The Gurnards Head where he achieved top 10 gastropubs from The Telegraph. In 2017 Jack and his partner took a management couple position at The Carew Arms near Torpoint, achieving a Michelin regional stand out award just a year after opening. Seeking a new challenge and starting a family, Jack took the head chef position at The Sardine Factory in Looe where he quickly achieved a bib gourmand, cementing his love of Cornwall and seafood. After the first lockdown in 2020, Jack took on a new challenge at the Stargazy Inn in Port Isaac before deciding to take the reins at the Scarlet Restaurant in 2022, where he hopes to take his passion for seafood and sustainability further.

HOW: The Scarlet Restaurant is open for non-residents and hotel guests, offering an à la carte menu alongside a seven course tater menu. £60 a guest for three courses from the a la carte menu.