David Waters has been appointed Head Chef at Hotel Meudon near Falmouth in Cornwall.
Born and raised in Cornwall, David hails from Penzance and first made his mark at the Victoria Inn at Perranuthnoe, achieving 2 AA Rosettes. While he was at the helm, the popular eatery was also named one of the top 50 gastro pubs in England and was included in the Michelin Pub Guide. From there, David moved to Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, the flagship two-Michelin Star restaurant at Port Isaac. During his time as Sous Chef the restaurant was named the best restaurant in the UK by the Good Food Guide in 2018 and again in 2019.
David decided to move back closer to his home turf and says that he fell in love with the Hotel Meudon setting and restaurant the first time he visited. “I can’t wait to get out into the gardens. We’re going to start by growing micro-herbs for the kitchen. Then further down the line, we are planning to grow chillies, potatoes, other herbs, strawberries, and raspberries,” he says. “This will be small-scale to begin with, but I’d like to use homegrown fruit and veg to elevate dishes e.g. garnish desserts with strawberries grown in the garden.”
Describing his style of cooking, David says: “I would say that it’s produce-led, simple, and not over complicated. The flavour is the most important element. I’m super excited about using local produce, Cornish fish is some of the best in the world. From the seas to the farms, this county delivers incredible produce. In terms of other influences, I love Southeast Asian food and bold flavours; My partner is from Thailand, and we generally eat Thai food at home.”
He cites a moreish Newlyn crab filo tart, line-caught Cornish Sea bass with asparagus and spiced West country duck among his signature dishes on the new springtime menu. Immediate plans include a fresh take on the afternoon tea menu being launched to coincide with the King’s Coronation, featuring a specially created Coronation quiche with spinach, broad beans and Cornish clotted cream, a smoked salmon cracker with cream cheese, dill and lemon as well as a raspberry opera cake and the usual scones, jam and clotted cream.
A new lunch menu is also being introduced. It is pre-bookable for groups of six or more. Finally, a showstopping surf and turf menu will be available on Saturday evenings during May, featuring a sharing board of Cote de Boeuf and half a lobster, served with fries and salad.
“My goals and aspirations are to continue developing the success of Restaurant Meudon and to put my stamp on the local food scene”, concludes David.
