Meet the chef: Nat Tallents, Heligan Kitchen

MEET THE CHEF Nat Tallents

HEAD OF HOSPITALITY LOST GARDENS OF HELIGAN

My mum got me a waitressing job when I was 14. To be honest, I hated it - I was very shy and didn’t really enjoy the social side of things. But it opened my eyes to food. I remember asking the chef, a pirate-type chap called Conrad, what he was cooking - he looked at me confused and said: “Mushrooms!” I just didn't know what they were. I had no idea what I wanted to do after A-levels; by this point I was working as a restaurant supervisor and worked my way up to manager, but thought chefs had more fun and wondered if I could give it a go. I was barely capable of cooking an omelette, but I got a job as a commis chef at a gastropub in Yorkshire. Within two and a half years I was head chef. Something just clicked, and I became obsessed with food. Cooking makes me happy, even when I'm not working, and there’s nothing like the buzz of a busy kitchen.

Why did you come to Cornwall?

Because my ex-wife wanted to live here! I hadn’t really been before, but I applied for jobs and two weeks later, I was working and living on Lusty Glaze in Newquay. To this day, it’s still my favourite place in Cornwall. It feels like home to me.

Having seven courses gives you more flexibility to really be creative. We don’t publish a menu beforehand, so it encourages people to try new things.

What brought you to Heligan?

Lockdown brought positives and negatives to everyone. For me, having nine months on furlough after 20 years in the industry offered a chance to stop and relax, assess what I was doing and what I wanted to do. It was also nice to have evenings off! I started a degree in sustainable tourism at Falmouth University, then in February 2021 I saw this job advertised. I have always loved Heligan as a visitor, and the work/life balance really appealed to me.

How is it different to other roles you’ve done?

Moving into hospitality management and development was a different direction for me, and I had to really sell myself in the interview as they definitely weren’t looking for a chef. But my chef background has helped me understand and try to bridge the gap between gardens, livestock and hospitality - there is so much more grown and reared here than people are aware of. The job itself came quite naturally, and managers here are encouraged to be creative and think outside the box. I have a team of eight chefs, so I don’t get too involved in the day-to-day bar filling in where needed. My main role is working on development of menus and relationships with suppliers, then I lead on Lost Suppers, usually working with a chef on each course. It’s always a good learning opportunity to show them things I know and get their input on how they see things.

How did the concept for the Lost Suppers come about?

I’ve been involved in supper clubs and private dining since I started cooking, so this was an obvious choice when thinking of another food concept. Plus the produce grown on site is incredible - the gardens and estate teams work so hard, and it seems a no-brainer to make this into its own entity.

There are seven courses - how do you think of so many? Is there a theme?

Having seven courses gives you more flexibility to really be creative. We don’t publish a menu beforehand, so it encourages people to try new things. The theme is to use as much from site as possible but next year we are doing themed suppers for harvest, and I would like do some with signature dishes from my cooking career. Then there's a theme of zero waste throughout, to ensure we utilise everything.

Do you enjoy the sociable side of things more these days?

I really do. I started in front of house and have been a chef, and I love both. Feeding people, and seeing them enjoy food, is one of my favourite things. At Lost Suppers, I spend time talking to guests about the produce, and really sell Heligan.

You competed in Masterchef: The Professionals in 2012. How was that?

It’s 10 years, but it feels like a lifetime ago. I’d only been cooking for about three years. I remember Michel Roux asking what I thought of my dish? I said it was awful, and he said: “Yes, I agree.” Ha! But he did say I prepped the rabbit perfectly. I just over-complicated the dish and ran out of time. I’ve done so much since - I made the semi-finals of the National Chef of the Year competition in 2019 and 2021, and took part in the Great British Menu last year. I've never won, but every competition is a learning opportunity, and I’m so grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had. l Look out for Lost Suppers on February 25 and March 25. For further information, visit www.heligan.com