Graham Shone has been living and working in the Isles of Scilly for 15 years but has never been so fired up or enthusiastic about either his job or surroundings as he is now. Why? Well, though he's been head chef at the Hell Bay hotel on the island of Bryher for the past three years, it's only since the property's total redevelopment and conversion into a 23-suite hotel earlier this year that his cooking has really come into its own.
"Previously, what we offered here was a typical three-star hotel menu - you could have been eating at any international hotel anywhere in the world," he says. "But as this is really a new hotel now, what we've done is to create a whole new style for the food to suit it."
This style is essentially modern European, but based firmly on the sourcing of top-quality local produce. "The Isles of Scilly and Cornwall have terrific produce to offer, so I'm now harnessing those ingredients and keeping dishes simple so the flavours can really shine through," he explains.
Among Shone's prized local ingredients are Bryher strawberries, eggs from the island's chickens - "The yolks are so yellow they make an almost luminous hollandaise sauce" - and crabs and lobsters caught on the island's shores. Occasionally, Hell Bay gets supplies of "superb beef" from the herd reared on the neighbouring island of Tresco.
Supported by four other chefs and two kitchen assistants, Shone is currently cooking for an average of 100 visitors at lunch - many of whom travel to Bryher for the day from other islands - and some 50 diners in the evening. Most of the latter are holiday-makers staying at the hotel or at nearby cottages.
The lunchtime customers are offered an extensive menu, which will run throughout the season until the hotel closes for the winter in early November. It boasts seven dishes that can be ordered as starters or mains - for instance, chargrilled Bryher crab claws, tiger prawns and scallops with sweet chilli oil (£8.50/£16) - six further main courses, four salads, a selection of sandwiches, seven desserts and cheese. "Our top-selling dish at the moment is the steamed mussels with a creamy garlic, shallot and thyme broth [£5/£10]: a really simple dish but oozing with fragrance and flavour."
In the evening Shone prepares a daily changing menu - essential, because many residents are staying for a week or more - which offers four starters, five mains, three desserts and cheese. Three courses costs £28, including coffee.
The menu is always carefully balanced and includes one vegetarian option at each course, as well as a meat choice and several fish alternatives. "In contrast to most hotels, where diners tend to choose meat and fish on a 50-50 basis, about 70-80% of our diners go for fish - not surprising when they are looking at beautiful views of the sea out of the dining room window."
Recent popular starters have included tian of Bryher crab with lime crŠme fraŒche, rocket and a basil dressing; and seared scallops, ricotta ravioli, Bryher rocket and lobster fish cream. Among the mains, John Dory with saffron new potatoes, spring onion, mussels, carrot ribbons and fish cream kept the kitchen busy, while a dessert of iced strawberry parfait made with local fruit and topped with Italian meringues has made several appearances thanks to its enthusiastic reception from diners. n
Hell Bay Hotel, Bryher, Isles of Scilly, Cornwall TR23 0PR. Tel: 01720 422947. Web: www.hellbay.co.uk
By Gaby Huddart
Chef's cheat
When buying mussels, it's a really good idea to first pour seawater over them and then store them in seawater in the fridge, rather than leaving them on a tray.
This cleans them out and keeps them happy, so they are much fresher and taste better when it comes to serving them.
What's on the menu?
(Three courses £28, including coffee)
- Wild mushroom, spinach and Dijon mustard tart with herb-dressed leaves
- Baked goats' cheese with crushed new potatoes, vegetable crisps, and ginger and apricot chutney
- Bryher crab and tomato soup
- Whole lemon sole with citrus butter sauce, seasonal vegetables and new potatoes
- Fillet of salmon and scallops with fondant potatoes, Bryher cabbage and fish cream
- Beef fillet with dauphinoise potatoes, roasted vegetables, port jus and crisp Parma ham
- Passion fruit crème brûlée with home-made shortbread
- Orange and almond polenta cake with spiced poached pears and red wine reduction
- Honey and elderflower fruit jelly with lemon sorbet