Simon Hulstone

One-time captain of the British team for the Culinary Olympics and a winner of the prestigious Roux Scholarship, the owner of Torquay’s Michelin-starred The Elephant speaks to Imogen Lepere

How did you get into a career in cooking?

My dad was one of the best hotel chefs in the country. He was known for his terrines and his hotels always had impeccable silver service. I started as a kitchen porter with him at the Imperial Hotel in Torquay. I did it for the money to start with but I ended up loving the camaraderie.

What’s so special about Devon’s natural larder?

We can produce everything we need here. The Elephant’s scallops are supplied by Devil’s Choice, who dive in the bay outside the restaurant, while brown crabs come from Paignton. The water is a little warmer here than in the rest of the country, so the shellfish tends to be small and sweet. The weather is warm, which means we are always a bit ahead of the game in terms of seasonality. Wild garlic arrives in February and elderflowers in March.

And the cheese is great too, right?

There’s a long and proud cheesemaking tradition down here. It’s all thanks to our fabulously lush pastures. Some of my favourites are Sharpham Cheddar, Exmoor Blue and Vulscombe goat’s cheese.

Where are the best places to eat in the South West today?

I rate The Cornish Arms at Tavistock and Ode in Shaldon. We always go to Rockfish in Brixham for fish and chips and nowhere does a classic cream tea like my tearooms, Burridge’s, in Torquay. Totnes has a very good farmers’ market, while Occombe Farm Café is my go-to for a quick lunch of quality local produce.

Where did you last go on holiday? What was the food like?

I recently went to Thailand. We stayed at Six Senses Yao Noi, just outside Phuket and the local food was fantastic. Chefs understand chillies and spicing so much better than we do in the West. All the ingredients taste superb because of the weather and the focus is on flash-frying and marinating so the flavours stay fresh. Ingredients such as spring onions, garlic, chives and onion become the main element in the dish rather than playing second fiddle to protein.

Which restaurants are on your hit list to visit?

Maaemo in Oslo, Alex Atala’s place in São Paolo and Noma in its new guise.

What did you learn from your spell in Spain?

When I won the Roux Scholarship in 2003, I could choose an apprenticeship at any three-star restaurant in the world. I chose Restaurante Martín Berasategui, near San Sebastián. What I really learnt there was the art of simplicity. Martín used a lot of residual ingredients like offal and tripe, and cooked with tomato sauces rooted in ancient Basque culture. I’ve tried to recreate that ethos at The Elephant.

We’re eating at The Elephant... what should we order?

Start with the scallops with baked chutney and pancetta from Rusty Pig. For main, go for duck with butternut and pressed pumpkin, which we keep for a season so it becomes very complex. I’d finish with a strawberry and elderflower meringue with lovage-infused cream.