Nathan Outlaw, Restaurant Nathan Outlaw

The Staff Canteen

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

 

He has four Michelin stars, restaurants in Cornwall, London and Dubai and Restaurant Nathan Outlaw was just voted the best in the UK by the Good Food Guide 2018 – it appears Nathan Outlaw has the Midas touch!

Nathan Outlaw’s collection of seafood restaurants has earned the high profile chef numerous accolades including four Michelin stars and honorific titles such as the ‘King of Fish’. His simplistic take on seafood has won him praise amongst his peers and industry professionals alike.

Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Gurnard with Porthilly Sauce. credit Beth Druce
Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Gurnard with
Porthilly Sauce - credit Beth Druce

And keeping it simple is obviously a tactic paying off for the Kent born chef as he just dethroned Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume four-year reign atop the Good Food Guide while also retaining a perfect score of 10 for a second year running. To score a 10, dishes need to be ‘perfect and show faultless technique at every service’.

On topping the guide Nathan said: “We’ve always been proud to have a place in the listings, but to hear that Restaurant Nathan Outlaw has made it to No. 1 is phenomenal. I’d say the award has come due to the hard work and dedication of our team who have now been working together for a decade.”

The guide deemed Nathan’s flagship restaurant ‘the whole package’ for offering the freshest local seafood from a carefully crafted menu with perfect service set in a relaxed dining room which “just happens in the most discreet and attentive way”.

Nathan said: "It just goes to show that if you stay true to yourself, get your head down, look after your customers and use the very best ingredients available to you, you’ll make it to the top.”

Having begun his career buttering toast for breakfast service in his father Clive’s kitchen – Clive now works alongside him at Outlaw’s at The Capital - Nathan’s career took off after studying two years at Thanet College in Broadstairs which was followed by roles alongside Gary Rhodes and Eric Chavot before heading for the Cornish coastline.

His first role in Cornwall was with Rick Stein at his Seafood Restaurant in Padstow. It was here the chef really began to appreciate fish and seafood which he is now known for. He later worked at John Campbell’s Michelin-starred restaurant Lords of the Manor and helped former colleague and friend, Paul Ripley launch his new venture before going solo himself.

Outlaws Fish Kitchen - credit Beth Druce
Outlaws Fish Kitchen - credit Beth Druce

At 24 Nathan opened his first restaurant, The Black Pig in Rock in 2003. Despite achieving Michelin star status Nathan was forced to close the restaurant due to seasonality but still cites it as a major influence on his restaurant empire today saying his creativity with his ingredients has always been the aim.

Three years later Nathan was made head chef of Marina Hotel in Fowey with the promise of having his name above the door. Since then Restaurant Nathan Outlaw has won two Michelin stars and four rosettes in the AA Restaurant Guide.
In 2015 the restaurant relocated to Port Isaac where it remains today.

“Port Isaac is definitely very much home and I don’t ever see myself leaving from here,” says Nathan.
He continued: “I don’t think I have ever found another place where I have felt it is where I can grow the business.”

Firmly settled in the little fishing village in North Cornwall, Restaurant Nathan Outlaw has definitely found its forever home and with full control over his business empire Nathan can now refocus on his brand.

“We have worked very hard on getting the Nathan Outlaw brand to work as an attractive thing, and it’s starting to show with the people that come in through this restaurant or Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, The Mariners or going up to London. Just going on the back of good will and hard work and people knowing that the money they are going to spend is well spent.”

Nathan’s empire now consists of five restaurants, the two Michelin-starred Restaurant Nathan Outlaw and the one star Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, both in the picturesque Port Isaac; The Mariners in Rock which is a pub; the one Michelin-starred Outlaw’s at the Capital in London and lastly, Nathan Outlaw at Al Mahara in Dubai.

Cornish Jack, Celery and Walnuts at Restaurant Nathan Outlaw - credit Beth Druce
Cornish Jack, Celery and Walnuts at
Restaurant Nathan Outlaw
credit Beth Druce

The key to Nathan’s success? It’s all about team work and having the right staff behind him that are dedicated to helping manage his vast collection of restaurants.

“I’m very lucky to have people who have worked with me for over a decade. Having people around like that has makes my life a lot easier, allows me to expand and to concentrate on the important things and usually that important thing for me is the food and making sure that offering is good for the customers.”

With Nathan’s career going from strength-to-strength the future looks bright for the 39-year-old chef whose eye is now firmly set on pushing the Nathan Outlaw franchise and continuing his streak of success.

“The key to the expansion of this business and the future of this business will be the staff and supporting the staff. The opportunities that come through to me can’t be fulfilled without having those people in place so the future is the staff.”

By Michael Parker

@canteenparker

 

In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall and restrict access – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 12 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 500,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.

The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 10th October 2017

Nathan Outlaw, Restaurant Nathan Outlaw

IN ASSOCIATION WITH