Ben developed a strong interest in cooking at the age of thirteen and in 1998 moved to Cheltenham to help Raymond Blanc run Le Petit Blanc. The mantra here was to create quick, straight forward honest food. After a number of other high profile positions, Ben was then offered the position of Head Chef at The Old Quay House in Spring 2005.

Local fish and shellfish always feature strongly (oysters, scallops and of course Fowey mussels) and the ethos is simple: to let the ingredients shine by themselves. From duck confit to tarte tatin, Ben cooks with a proud traditional bistro style, inspired by old French cookbooks, brought bang up to date with freshly foraged herbs like wood sorrel and Cornish round leaf mint. Inspiration comes from chefs like Fergus Henderson and Thomas Keller, as well as from the hotel’s trusted and ever enthusiastic suppliers.

Outside of the kitchen, Ben also works closely with Fowey Community College and is regularly invited to speak to and demonstrate to the children who have a strong interest in cooking. He is also a frequent sight at Cornwall’s annual Food and Drink Festival and this year was asked by Michael Caines to cook at the Exeter Food Festival.