Nautical Collection: The Cornish Coastline with Simon Stallard

The Cornish Coastline with Simon Stallard

With his passion rooted firmly in serving people fresh, local produce, Simon Stallard is a true food connoisseur. Owner of The Hidden Hut on Porthcrunick Beach, he favours al fresco dining in a natural and relaxed setting. Unreachable by car, diners must traverse the coastal path or dock their boat in the bay to reach this gem. Specialising in cooking over an open fire, he works with an extended team of chefs and local craftsmen to develop a unique off-grid cooking style. Utilising handcrafted tools and grills, they cook fresh produce from the area with local woods and charcoals.

We spent the day with him pottering along the Cornish coastline and exploring how the new AW18 Nautical Collection would enhance his lifestyle.

Getting back to nature.

My love of cooking in beautiful spaces surrounded by nature really inspired the idea behind The Hidden Hut. When we began 9 years ago, escaping from the windowless kitchens of the city was so important to me and I just thought other people would share my enjoyment of eating outdoors and appreciate being cooked for in this incredible, remote setting.

Fresh from sea and land.

Our customers come to us expecting fresh, locally-sourced food and that’s exactly what we give them. I just love the idea that what’s caught out front is cooked on the beach above. For example, on an autumnal day like today, my dish of choice would be the smoked haddock chowder – the local haddocks are cold-smoked over oak which gives this comforting soup so much depth and rich flavour.

Living and working next to the sea.

The expanse and openness of the ocean is such a big draw, which is why I love living life by the water. The freshness of produce is unrivalled – in the cities, no money can buy the same quality and flavour that we have access to here. When I’m not working I’m a hobby sailor and enjoy crewing on my friend’s Ajax during the race season – but it’s not all high-octane for me, I’ve got a real soft spot for going rock pooling and crabbing with my two young lads.

Our business revolves around the sea. From the fish we harvest from it, to the blue-green hues of our restaurant backdrop, it’s ingrained into our business. And of course, the tides obviously play a huge part in where and when (and for how long!) we can cook on the beach.

Gather round for great food.

It’s the uniqueness of The Hidden Hut that puts it firmly into the hearts of our customers. There aren’t many places that are so remote which offer our style of food and dining experience. Also, it’s the people that venture out to find us; we all share a common affection for the great outdoors and flavoursome food. Word of mouth discoveries and the sharing of feast stories have been really important to us.

Finding the perfect outfit.

The Nautical Collection is a great choice for the way I live my life. I’ve gone for quite casual attire, paired with the Barbour Tiree coat which is insulated and waterproof – ideal for spending time by the sea! I like the laid-back design of this range, it has a real ‘day off’ feel to it.

The future of The Hidden Hut.

We love the hut and it’s constantly evolving – it's different every year. From the menu and cooking methods to the weather and lay of the dunes, it’s very difficult to predict what the years ahead will bring. As an independent, we thrive on being creative and coming up with new ideas - that’s what makes cooking there so exciting. The only thing that we hold constant are our values and ethics, and the fact we never want to grow out of our little hut.

Simon wears the Barbour Elbe Stripe Shirt, Barbour Tiree Jacket, Barbour Cobra Crew and our Neuston Twill Chino.

Discover the Barbour AW18 Nautical Collection here.