This is the latest in a series of quarterly diary extracts from Camilla Waite, a young junior sous chef at Michelin-starred Paul Ainsworth at Number 6 in Padstow. 20th June
The produce we've been getting through the door here at Paul Ainsworth 
at No.6 is just incredible! We are so lucky to have such produce around us. Here in Cornwall, let alone the rest of the United Kingdom, there is beauty all around us, so here’s a big thank you to everyone involved, your hard work is much appreciated!
29th June
This year we’ve been trying something new with our English truffle supplier Zak, he’s imported some beautiful black truffles from Tasmania, they’re stunning!!
We’re naturally really careful about our food miles, but sometimes it’s just amazing to try some new produce in the kitchen. Alex and the team have even been grating it in the room, to really help get the aroma in the dining room. We’re dressing our Chicken dish with it at the moment and it’s working up a treat.
11th July
Paul has been on Saturday kitchen again today! We've all been very excited as usual but also because one of our absolute favourite dishes was demonstrated today too: the raw scallops with kimchi style cabbage. It was great for everyone to see how we make it. Trying again to go for that fastest time in the omelette challenge, didn't go quite to plan but looked like great fun alongside Daniel Clifford. Looked like they are really enjoyed themselves! 
19th July
We had an outside catering event this week which was great fun, packing up a lot of the kitchen to recreate the Paul Ainsworth at No.6 magic elsewhere. The canapés were great fun, foie gras vol-au-vents, savoury cones filled with smoked trout mousse, chicken skin with cods roe and seaweed and tomato and strawberry gazpacho with English feta.
I won't go through all the dishes but we had some dishes we have on the menu like the salmon ball with seaweed and smoked butter sauce, the raw scallop and kimchi style cabbage and our cheese course with the No.6 pasty and Barkham Blue cheese. New dishes we hadn't seen before were the chicken and duck liver ballotine served with local candy beetroots, roasted duck hearts, chick weed and hazelnuts, and a dessert with olive oil pistachio cake, macerated cherries, aerated chocolate and kirsch cream. The evening went really, well a great job done by everyone involved!
25th July
We’ve had a very exciting visit to Padstow, the Duke and Duchess of
Cornwall started their summer visit by coming to our little town. They met a lot of local suppliers and visited a few businesses including Paul Ainsworth at No.6. Paul and Emma welcomed them both and we had some of our beautiful ingredients ready to greet them as well as a gorgeous box of handmade fudge in a bespoke box for them to take away! It was a beautiful day, we hope they enjoyed their visit!
10th August
There's been a lot of excitement around Paul Ainsworth at No.6 and Rojano's in the Square, we've had a film crew in getting ready for our new website, there's been a lot of fun showing what we get up to every day. There's a lot more work to do before the new website is ready to go but this is one step closer.
16th August
For research and development, Paul, John and a number of our managers have had a trip to London to visit The Bread Factory. There a wonderful team gave them a real insight into making muffins and crumpets, to help really develop our skills for putting together our breakfast and pastries menu for Padstow Townhouse. A massive thank you on behalf of Paul and all the team that went, it was really invaluable to have that input.
20th August
Following its evolution in January, the ‘Fairground Tale’ has had a little tweak, continuing its development. Paul and John have worked hard introducing a salted praline parfait and the seasonally changing fruit compote served with our coconut custard is now beautiful damsons. They sit pride of place next to the beautiful aerated chocolate 'honeycomb' and raspberry doughnuts. 
1st September
Lots going on at Padstow Townhouse, beautiful bathtubs being fitted as well as giant showers! There's gorgeous wallpaper going up and plans for the pantry with yummy treats! The breakfast menu is being worked on and we've welcomed Paul's sister Michelle Ainsworth to the team. Time’s flying by, it'll be open before we know it. I have to say, that watching this building get transformed and brought back to its former glory is absolutely amazing, the renovation has been so carefully thought through. I can’t believe we’re nearly open, it has come so far. From watching the walls get pulled through, to replacing the roof and restoring the beautiful front with new hardwood sash windows, the guys up there have been incredible, can’t wait for people to see it!
12th September
I'm very proud to say that I've been offered a promotion! So very happy to be taking a step to junior sous chef, lots of new things to learn, always moving forward!
16th September
We've retained our Michelin star and we are all very proud, well done to the whole team who work so hard to maintain such an accolade! 
24th September
Macmillan coffee morning at Rojano's in the Square today, there were some lovely brownies, cupcakes, cooking and cakes! I was happy to bring along a Victoria sponge and a chocolate and marshmallow cake I'd made, well done to the team for raising £300!
5th October
AA awards tonight, John, Chris and Alex have gone to London as we’ve been shortlisted for the Food Service Award. Very exciting as Alex and his team out front are so passionate about their work. A lot of love goes in to serving our guests, they’re welcomed in to Paul Ainsworth at No.6 as though it’s our home…which it is! We came runner up to a very worthy winner Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, huge congratulations to them!
14th October
A few members of the team recently went to Camel Valley vineyards, we had a tour around the vineyards and got to see where the grapes are turned into wine and talked through the process, then we were lucky enough to try some of the wines and sparkling wines, it was a great opportunity to visit them, everyone really enjoyed themselves and left with more knowledge about Camel Valley.
25th October
We recently changed our lunch menu and we've got some tasty dishes on. The starter is Cornish cured salmon with our own take on kimchi cabbage, a lovely light and refreshing dish but still packed with flavour. The main course is chicken from Merryfield Farm, cooked in beer and hay served with Cornish purple broccoli and smoked mushrooms. The dessert is a bit of a French classic, nougat glacé, served with lime curd, the last of the Cornish raspberries and honeycomb. Loving the new lunch menu packed full of flavour but so light and delicate.
Camilla Waite has been a key member of the team at Paul Ainsworth at Number 6 for two years, working her way up to chef de partie. When she's not cooking up a storm, Camilla enjoys seeking adrenaline rushes, whether it’s trekking across Nepal or sky diving to raise money for Cornwall Hospice.
