Recently appointed chef patron at The Plume of Feathers, Mitchell, Cornwall, and former MasterChef contestant Nat Tallents (pictured), is living up to her name.
She is leading the way for female chefs and celebrating Cornish heritage and style with the launch of her newly-curated spring menu. This is the first since her move to the 16th century Cornish dining and accommodation destination earlier this year.
The menu showcases fresh seasonal produce and Cornish provenance. Elements include potted venison, succulent Cornish lamb (from the local butcher), fresh king scallops from the waters close by, and sweet springtime rhubarb with comforting home-made custard. The new menu has sustainability at its core, with many of the dishes flavoured with herbs from the inn’s own vegetable patch.
Nat was previously the executive chef of both The Plume of Feathers and its iconic sister venue, The Lewinnick Lodge in Newquay. Now shifting her focus onto The Plume of Feathers as chef patron, Nat is excited about the future.
Lancashire-born, she began her cooking career at 23 after eight years of working both as a waitress and a restaurant manager. However, with three strong mentors in the early days, she picked up skills and techniques extremely quickly, holding her first head chef position after only 18 months in West Yorkshire. In 2012 she took part in BBC’s MasterChef: The Professionals, and got to the classics round, during which she was excited to cook for one of her food heroes, Michel Roux Jr.
She said: “The Plume of Feathers is just such a great place in a fantastic location and has so much potential, so I really want it to stand proud and carve its own reputation as the ultimate gastropub dining experience in Cornwall. I am determined to make that happen and am enjoying the chef patron role which allows me to be extremely hands-on in the kitchen here but also means I have control over all elements of our new menus.”
