Head Chef: Scott Paton
Learn more about our Head Chef, Scott Paton...
"My first experience of cooking was when I was 5, we had a French breakfast day in school where we made baguettes and hot chocolate. I have always loved cooking and as a kid I often made my family smile with my “strange concoctions”.
I trained at The Jack in the Green at Rockbeare, near Exeter, initially washing dishes. It was my first job in the industry and I soon got stuck in. I worked with Matt Mason and Paul Parnell for 9 years, so they have obviously had a massive influence on my career.
I was initially inspired to be a Chef by the adrenaline of a busy service, by the creativity and the buzz. I guess that’s still the case today, but it’s the combination of creativity and discipline which drives me. That, and the fact that you’re always learning, you never stand still. The thing I like least is having a quiet restaurant. I hate being bored!
I’ve won some great accolades that I’m really proud of. In 2008 I won ‘dessert of the year’ from the Association of Pastry Chefs, and in 2009 I won South West Chef of the Year in the young professional class.
I wouldn’t say my food has a specific style, it’s not British, not French. My food is simply the food of Scott Paton at The Horn of Plenty. My food and my menus have been designed around the region, the location and the clientele.
I wouldn’t say I had a signature dish as such either. My food is always changing and moving with the times. I don’t want to be cooking the same things now as in 5 years time. Right now some of my favourite dishes include roasted venison with chicory jam, and milk chocolate mousse with banana & passion fruit parfait.
There have been a couple of chefs who have really influenced me. Pierre Herme is a fabulous pastry chef who I was fortunate enough to work with for a couple of days. He’s known as the Picasso of Pastry, he’s the guy who brought pastry bang up to date.
I’ve also been hugely impressed by Tom Kerridge at The Hand and Flowers in Marlow. For me, he’s re-written the fine dining rule book. He’s just been awarded 2 Michelin stars, but there’s no white linen in the restaurant, no smartly uniformed staff, just quirky little pub with wonky tables and a fantastic atmosphere, but he’s managed to capture the essence of his pub in his food.
I think creativity is hugely important, but I’m never creative when I’m busy. I find I have my best ideas when I’m relaxing, often when I’m asleep. I often dream about what food should look like, then match flavours to suit. That’s kind of against the rule – most chefs start out with the flavours, then focus on making the dish look good. Having said that, here at The Horn we’re not about whacky food or clever food. We’re about taking the traditional and bringing it bang up to date with a touch of “wow”!
We have big plans for our kitchen garden. We’ve seen our first butternut squashes this year and we’re just starting to redevelop the garden more seriously. Next year, we’ll have our own beetroot, carrots, courgettes, onions, Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus, peas, beans, salad leaves and berries. We’re not going to be self sufficient, but it’s the start of an exciting journey.
The highlight of my career so far has to be taking the reins here at The Horn. Owners, Damien and Julie have presented me with a fantastic opportunity. I want The Horn to be back up there with the big boys in the South West. The Horn has such a rich food history which goes back over 40 years.
Over the next 5 years, we want to see the Horn regain the Michelin Star it deserves. We also want to become one of the Top 100 Restaurants in the UK, with a reputation for everything from canapés to mains to afternoon teas. We want to get everything as close to perfection as we can.
The long term ambition is to achieve what Michael Caines has done at Gidleigh – taken a superb reputation, and driven it on to a whole new level. But we’ll do that in a way that’s true to The Horn: outstanding food served in a relaxed, informal environment, with a focus on warm, friendly, attentive service and wonderful views."
