16 year-old Exmoor Young Chef cooks at Knowle Manor

Our guests at the Media Launch on 12 October at Knowle Manor are in for a special treat: Exmoor Young Chef Perran Clarke – with the support of his mentor Carla Jones – will be preparing a pre-dessert!

Perran won the Exmoor Young Chef competition earlier this year, and this is what judge Miguel Tenreiro, head chef at the Porlock Weir Hotel, had to say:

“Perran’s dish of chicken supreme, fondant potato and tarragon sauce showcasing Beech Ridge chicken particularly impressed me.”

Perran is now an apprentice at Seacliff Restaurant (Sandy Cove Hotel) where he works with head chef Carla Jones. By the way, we are delighted that the Seacliff Restaurant have signed up for the 2023 Exmoor Food Fest for the first time!

Carla Jones has been a chef for many years. She started in kitchens at the age of 14 working her way from potwash, moving to London at the age of 20 to complete a scholarship under Piere Koffman.

Carla loves a challenge and competed in Masterchef in 2018.

After settling in Devon 2 years ago and taking over Seacliff, Carla and her team have achieved 3 Rosettes and have gotten into the Michelin guide.

Perran Clarke is 16 years old and has been passionate about food for a long time.

He has competed in future chef competition and came second. And he won Exmoor Young Chef of the year. This September Perran competed in the Young Chef of the South West: “I enjoy working under Carla in Seacliff and have just started my apprenticeship with Petroc collage. I have a huge passion for food and am very lucky as a chef to work with amazing produce surrounding us.”

PS We have a handful of tickets left!

Exmoor Gin for starters

Our guests at next week’s Media Launch of the 2023 Exmoor Food Fest at Knowle Manor will be welcomed by a glass of gin or rum by
Exmoor Distillery :

Founded in 2017 Exmoor Distillery is a lifelong ambition of the founders John & Nicola. Sharing a taste for high-end spirits and with combined expertise in engineering and business. John and Nicola have established a distillery that has won some of the highest accolades in the industry.

John say’s “After sampling many of the world’s gins and rums on our travels, there was nothing that quite hit the spot, so we decided to produce our own. Our clients love our sprits and never fail to be impressed with the bursting natural flavour and unexpectedly smooth textures”.

The historic location of Dulverton, mentioned in the doomsday book, is the perfect setting to distil some of the world’s finest spirits. Due in part to the unique water source drawn by bore hole from the Exmoor Aquifer which is used in the fermentation, distillation and proofing of our spirits thus making our spirits truly unique.

The dinner on 12 October at Knowle Manor starts at 7 for 7.30pm. Here is the line-up of the award-winning chefs who will look after our guests:

Welcome Drinks

Exmoor Distillery

Amuse Bouche

Butlins Academy (Werner Hartholt with two of his students)

Starter

Anita-Clare Field (La Petite Bouchée, Witheridge)
supported by Nathan, Exmoor Young Chef runner-up

Fish

Miguel Tenreiro (Porlock Weir Hotel)

Meat

Martin Bayliss (New Coast Kitchen)

Pre-Dessert

Exmoor Young Chef competition winner Perran Clark with his mentor Carla Jones (Sandy Cove Hotel)

Dessert

Jade Shorney (Rising Sun, West Bagborough)

Tickets are £70.00 per person.

7 for 7.30 pm.

There are only a limited number of tickets available.