Michelin Star Chef joins Rick Stein's seafood bar in Falmouth

Twenty years ago Paul Ripley left London to work in Cornwall for Rick and Jill Stein as head chef at their flagship Seafood Restaurant. After 11 years in Padstow, Paul left The Seafood Restaurant and opened his own restaurant, Ripley’s in St Merryn, where he achieved a Michelin star.

Paul then became chef and landlord of the St Kew Inn in 2008, a St Austell Brewery pub in Wadebridge, where he further built up his reputation for superb food using fresh, high quality, local ingredients, and has now returned to work for Rick and Jill Stein, as head chef at their Seafood Bar in Falmouth.

Paul says: “I’m absolutely delighted to be working with Rick and Jill Stein again. The Seafood Bar in Falmouth is such an exciting opportunity. I want to try and encourage people to come and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and, of course, tasty food. There is no set 3-course menu but we’d like to do is tempt people to try a variety of small dishes and sharing plates. For the new menu I’ve selected some of my favourite fish and shellfish dishes spanning all of Rick’s books and also put a few of my own on there too.

Rick Stein comments: “I'm really happy to have Paul back. There's nothing he doesn’t know about cooking seafood. It'll be a joy to have him cooking and chatting to customers as he does.

Paul will be hosting a series of demonstration evenings at The Seafood Bar, starting on Tuesday 15th February 2011. Each informal evening begins at 6pm with a glass of wine on arrival, then sit back and relax as Paul demonstrates two dishes while sharing tips and techniques and talking you through what’s in season.

NEW BOATS FOR THE NEW YEAR

Visitors to the National Maritime Museum Cornwall in the past week will have seen a number of changes taking place to the Museum’s icon flotilla of flying boats.  Three new arrivals each demonstrate the different ways a boat can be propelled: by sail, by oar and by engine.

The three new boats: Speedwell, Ethel and Defender II are on display now at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, in Falmouth.  For more information on opening times and admission prices visit www.nmmc.co.uk or call 01326 313388.

Boat Collection Manager Andy Wyke says: “The Museum is a constantly evolving space, with new exhibitions and displays happening all the time.  We always like to use the start of the New Year to freshen things up and display new boats from our collection.  It’s just a little more complex making changes to boats hanging 30 feet in the air!” 

For more information on what's happening at the National Maritime Museum click through to www.nmmc.co.uk

 

MARITIME MUSEUM REVEALS THE STORY OF BRUNEL, THE GREAT ENGINEER

On January 26, at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Tim Bryan tells the story of Isambard Kingdom Brunel and explores his successes and failures.  This non-technical talk will look at Brunel’s early work with his father on the Thames Tunnel; the Great Western Railway; the Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash; and the SS Great Eastern.

Tim Bryan spent 21 years working as curator at the Great Western Railway and STEAM Museums in Swindon.  Since 2003 he has been Head of Collections at the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon in Warwickshire and has written extensively on railways, museums and industrial heritage.  His book Brunel: The Great Engineer was published by Ian Allan in 1999.

Tickets for the lecture, entitled Brunel: The Great Engineer, at 6.30pm on Wednesday, January 26, are available from the Maritime Museum in Falmouth at £8 for lecture only and £18 to include two-course buffet.  Doors and bar open from 6pm.  To book your seats please call 01326 214546. 

SPRING FEST

Plans for Falmouth’s inaugural Spring Fest are taking shape with the town set to become a hive of horticulture from 27^th March until the 3^rd April.

Creative performances, garden markets, gardening workshops and guided walks are all set to feature. A number of high profile speakers will be giving their best seasonal gardening advice, and there will also be art displays, free outdoor events, and the opportunity to visit previously unseen private garden spaces.

Some of the events in the pipeline include:

·         Garden Market on Events Square,

·         Gardeners Question Time

·         Spring Flower Show at Princess Pavilion

·         Open Gardens (public and private around the town and nearby area)

·         Walking tours

·         Guided rockpooling on the beaches -  ‘sea gardens!’

·         Exhibition of link-up projects between local schools and the Garden Design students from University College Falmouth

The full programme will soon be available at www.falmouth.co.uk along with information on coinciding hotel and accommodation deals. Get ready for the floral frenzy!