Chance Encounter Served up the Perfect Opportunity for The Kitchen’s New Head Chef

 A perfect opportunity to begin a new venture presented itself to head chef at The Kitchen by The Beach, Michael Corbin, during a chance encounter in Mawgan Porth.

The experienced chef was in the village with family and decided to pay a visit to one of his favourite local venues – The Park.

As well as being a luxury holiday village, The Park also welcomes locals who use the on-site restaurant and pool all year round.

Yet on this occasion, Michael discovered the restaurant was closed and an idea sprang to mind. He said: “The Park had been running a pop-up restaurant – Gusto at The Park – since winter, but was in the process of preparing for something new.

“When I turned up and found the restaurant doors closed, I immediately tracked down the general manager and asked if they were looking for a new head chef. I saw it as a golden opportunity to begin working at one of my favourite places in Cornwall.”

Michael, who lives in St Eval with his family, had been working as head chef at a hotel in Padstow, which boasted an award-winning 2 AA Rosette and was commended in the Cornish Accredited Restaurant Guide.

He left the position to fulfil a lifetime dream of cooking and serving food he personally loves, or as Michael describes it: “real food, done well”. He also fell in love with the casual and rustic feel to The Kitchen by The Beach, which he feels perfectly complements his menus.

Dishes focus on hand-picked, locally sourced and exceptionally fresh ingredients. Michael said: “I speak to my suppliers on a daily basis to ensure I get the freshest fish, cuts of meat and vegetables in the county that day.

“I’d previously worked for kitchens that would bulk buy to get the best price, but here at The Kitchen by The Beach it’s about getting the best ingredients.”

Michael’s aim is to create a menu that goes over and above expectations, whilst still being affordable: “It’s really important to me that people get to eat great food at a reasonable price. Price shouldn’t be a barrier to eating fantastic food, and that’s what we’ll be serving at The Kitchen by The Beach.”

Adrian Martyn, from The Park, said: ‘We were blown away by Michael’s passion and enthusiasm, not only for excellent food, but as a local person who wanted to work at one of his favourite places to relax with his family.”

Michael has also put together a Christmas party menu, steering away from the traditional turkey and tinsel options, favouring dishes like seasoned crumbed turkey breast with tarragon creamed potatoes, roast pumpkin and creamed cabbage and bacon.

The Kitchen by The Beach can be found at The Park and is open all year round for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Staying guests, as well as locals and visitors, are welcome to eat in the restaurant or enjoy other on-site facilities, such as the indoor pool and sauna.

To book a table or to enquire about Christmas parties call 01637 860322 or visit www.theparkcornwall.com