A taste of the south at Kota and Kota Kai

Kota and Kota Kai’s Jude Kereama guides us through Cornwall’s dining evolution and the suppliers who have bolstered the Duchy’s foodie reputation.

The Cornish food scene is one of the biggest attractions for tourists wanting to come to Cornwall for a holiday. Cornwall has been named the best county to dine in outside of the capital for a few years now, beating off some tough competition from areas like Cumbria. The abundance of talented chefs and some of the best produce in the UK certainly helps us to maintain the high quality of service we provide here in the Duchy; from Launceston to Land End, I am never very far from a good meal.

However, it wasn’t always like this. Not so long ago, Cornwall had a different reputation. Although we have been famous for pasties, ice cream, Cornish cream teas and fish and chips, it was difficult to find any finer dining alternatives. Nowadays, we have an abundance of restaurants with star-quality chefs. Rick Stein and Kevin Viner made a reputation in Cornwall for delicious food several years ago, and then came names like Nathan Outlaw and Paul Ainsworth. We are also lucky enough to have a whole load of chefs winning accolades from Michelin and the AA, bringing their skills from all over Cornwall to create fantastic dishes. I am personally stunned by all of the brilliant restaurants at our disposal, ranging from lunch cafes to fine dining tasting menus. When I have friends come and visit from London, a haven for food lovers, they are always surprised by how incredible every place is, not to mention the quality and value for money.   

The biggest change in the food sector, and undeniably one of the major contributors to the delicious dishes on offer here, is where we are sourcing our ingredients and the sustainability factor. We currently have a lot more information about the best seafood to buy in terms of sustainability compared to previous years. As well as this, we have an abundance of amazing suppliers, small boats and anglers who provide our restaurants with the freshest and highest-quality seafood available.

As well as sourcing the tastiest delicacies from the sea, we also have access to organic farms that provide us with the best of the season’s vegetables, fruits and herbs from the land. West Country Premium Venison looks after its deer immaculately and this is reflected in the taste of the venison, which is the best. Not only are the deer brought up on organic feed, no vaccines are used on the livestock either. They also live on a free-range farm where the abattoir and butchers are on the premises, so the deer are never under any duress. Another brilliant supplier of meat that we use are Philip Warren Butchers in Launceston. It is no surprise that this family-run business, which has traditionally aged and matured meat since 1880, were recently named UK Butcher of the Year. It is our constant determination to find the best suppliers that treat their ingredients as carefully as we do that makes dining with us in Cornwall a thing of culinary beauty.

Of course, all of this focus on prime ingredients comes at a higher cost. It often takes a lot more time, effort and money to produce high-quality ingredients which creates a challenge for us restauranteurs who are trying to keep our menu prices down. All our costs have unfortunately increased significantly over the last couple of years as wages, produce, utilities, services and essentials have all skyrocketed. While this makes it hard to keep our costs down, we certainly aren’t compromising on taste and quality with the food we’re producing; we will always champion the best local suppliers and create the tastiest, highest-quality plates possible for locals and lucky visitors alike.