What were the first skills you learnt in the kitchen?
Being Cornish, I learnt all about fish first.
This was then followed by desserts. All of the basics came first, but seafood was certainly at the forefront of my training.
Meet The Alverton’s New Head Chef: Ollie Wyatt
Meet our Head Chef Ollie
Formerly of The Cove and The Norway Inn, Ollie is the perfect example of what it means to be a born and bred Cornish Chef. With Ollie’s mother local to Polruan and his father a former dock worker from Flushing, Ollie’s family are dated to have lived in Cornwall for the past hundred years.
With Ollie’s extended family being in the hospitality industry, Ollie’s career started at a very early age. He began helping in the kitchen with small tasks such as scrubbing the dishes and soon found himself running the pastry section of the kitchen at just fourteen.
What’s your favourite dish to make?
It has to be seafood.
It’s been there right from the beginning, so it would be some sort of seafood dish. I absolutely love working with local suppliers. The quality of the fish is incredible and I’m proud to be serving produce that’s straight from local waters to our plates.
When you go to a restaurant, what would you choose to eat?
It’s very dependent on location.
It really depends on where I am. I like to choose dishes that are local to the area. If I’m eating somewhere coastal, I’m likely to choose a fresh fish dish. I also really love proper British cooking with seasonal ingredients.
Where’s your favourite place in Cornwall?
It has to be Lantic Bay.
I spent a lot of time there during my childhood, it’s a really special place.
Do you have any top tips for aspiring chefs?
Sustainability is so important.
It helps support your local area and the quality of food is unbeatable. So my tip would be to buy quality sustainable fish from trusted suppliers and most importantly enjoy what you do.
What do you get up to in your spare time?
I spend time with my family on the beach.
I’m very family orientated and have two children. My wife and I actually had our wedding reception at The Alverton’s sister hotel, The Greenbank. You’ll usually find me spending time with my wife and daughters, foraging and enjoying the beach. If I’m not doing that then I’m training for triathlons or Ironman!
What are you most excited about at The Alverton?
What’s not to be excited about?!
It’s great to be here and I’m very excited to see what direction we go in. I’m enjoying all the fresh ideas we’re having as a team. The possibilities are endless.
Meet The Alverton’s Pastry Chef: Lewis Tate
Meet our Pastry Chef Lewis and discover why he wanted to become a chef and what makes working at The Alverton so great.
Restaurant
For restaurants in Truro, look no further than The Alverton. Sip cocktails overlooking the garden and indulge in award-winning Cornish cuisine.