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Meet Amber Fernie, Chef Tournant at The Alverton. From her journey into hospitality to the mentors who've shaped her career, we sat down with Amber to learn more.
Earlier this year, Chef Tournant Amber Fernie represented The Alverton alongside Executive Chef Nick Hodges at Falmouth Food Festival. Following the event, we caught up with Amber to chat about her journey into hospitality, the mentors who have shaped her career, and what it was like taking part in one of Cornwall's biggest celebrations of food.
I’m Chef Tournant at The Alverton, which means I’m trained across every section of the kitchen. I love that no two days are ever the same. Rather than being tied to one area, I get to work across the whole kitchen and cook a real variety of dishes, which keeps things exciting and helps me continue learning every day.
My love of cooking started when I was young, baking with my auntie. I always looked forward to visiting her because we were guaranteed to be making something together in the kitchen.
My food technology teacher at secondary school also played a huge part in encouraging me. She always believed in me and inspired me to pursue a career as a chef.
It was a fantastic experience. Nick is an incredible chef, and it was a privilege to cook alongside him. I’m also incredibly proud to have represented The Alverton – it’s the hotel that has taught me so much and helped me grow throughout my career.
I loved having the opportunity to showcase the skills I’ve learnt over the years and to cook outside of the kitchen in front of an audience. It was something completely different and an experience I’ll always remember.
We celebrated some fantastic Cornish seafood, including lobster and brill.
Lobster is caught right here off our coastline and is a real luxury ingredient. By making use of the whole lobster, from the meat to rich bisques, it’s both sustainable and incredibly rewarding to cook with.
We also cooked brill, which is often thought of as the underrated cousin of turbot. It’s a beautiful fish that pairs brilliantly with bold flavours, and we served it with chorizo, allowing the sweetness of the fish to balance the warmth of the spices.
It meant a lot. I work in a kitchen that’s predominantly made up of men, so to be chosen to represent The Alverton felt really special.
It also meant being seen in a profession where women haven’t always been represented. I grew up learning to cook from the women in my family, so it felt like a lovely way to honour them while hopefully inspiring other young women who are thinking about a career in hospitality.
Definitely Liam Swiggs, Ollie Wyatt, and Nick Hodges. Ollie and Liam have always taken the time to teach me new skills, and seeing the level Nick has reached as Executive Chef inspires me to keep learning and improving every day.
Be strong and don’t take things too seriously. Professional kitchens can be busy, fast-paced and stressful, but one difficult service doesn’t define you. It’s how you learn from those moments and grow that really matters.
I’d love to own my own small restaurant or bakery one day, using local produce and supporting local businesses here in Cornwall.
Cornwall’s food scene is thriving. We have incredible local produce, amazing seafood right on our doorstep and so many talented chefs championing sustainable, seasonal cooking. It’s an exciting place to be building a career, and I’m proud to be part of it.
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