After 24 years in London, dad of two Mark Budd, from Totnes, is back home in Devon, where he has been executive head chef at Bovey Castle since April 2015. He heads up the newly-relaunched 3 AA rosette Great Western Grill, offering award-winning fine dining with a diverse menu inspired by British comfort food and forgotten classics.
We caught up with the chef to find out more about his inspirations, his brand-new kitchen at Bovey Castle and why you can’t beat a chilli con carne.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, including where you are today, professionally, and what got you here?
I’m a Devon lad from Totnes but I have spent most of my working life in London. I loved it, it was a fantastic experience. I was there for 24 years in the likes of The Savoy, The Ritz, and The Dorchester, and led Alexander House Hotel and The Stafford which offer a similar type of luxury to Bovey Castle. When The Eden Hotel Collection purchased Bovey and an opportunity came up here, it felt like the perfect chance to come back and a better environment for my kids to grow up in too. I’m at home here.
What or who inspired you to become a chef?
I developed a passion for cooking through my grandmother Margaret. She was a pastry chef and whenever she came round to our house when I was a kid, the first thing she’d do is throw an apron on and start making cakes. I was just fascinated by it so I started helping her. It was the first thing I learned to do really, I was making cakes before I could even tie my shoes! I used to cook for my mates after school too, that was probably the moment I knew I wanted to become a professional chef.
Who has been your biggest influence to get you to where you are today?
When I was in London I was really lucky to work with some amazing people like Giles Thompson at The Ritz and David Chambers at Park Lane Hilton. The types of food they were producing and the attention to detail was on another level, but I think I’ve taken a lot from the way they invested in people too.
What’s your signature dish?
The roasted Dover sole grenobloise, Jersey Royal potatoes, and warm tartar sauce on the menu at the Great Western Grill really typifies what we’re about. It’s a delicate fish but packs such a unique, sweet flavour. It’s the best locally-sourced produce, simply garnished, and executed perfectly. It’s just a beautiful looking dish.
What are the most important considerations when crafting your menu?
We’re all about the produce so where we get our ingredients from is really important to us. We use the best locally-sourced produce to remain as sustainable as possible – whether it’s locally reared beef and game, fresh seafood, to vibrant seasonal veg. There’s bountiful, fresh produce on our doorstep here in Devon so we’re really lucky.
Do your personal preferences influence the menu at all?
Absolutely. Everything on this menu is something I’d enjoy myself. But it’s also looking at where we are and what is well received by our guests – things like grilled native lobster, Devon sole, and West Country beef which has an exceptional flavour profile.
How would you describe your cooking style?
Good honest food, well-executed, simply garnished with classic sauces.
Do you have a favourite time of year or set of ingredients that you look forward to working with?
It’s got to be spring. Most chefs like spring. We add new dishes coming in and out of each season and in spring it’s a great chance to showcase lamb and fresh seasonal veg like wild mushrooms, peas, and asparagus.
What is your favourite ingredient to create with?
All types of fish and meat. You can prep it and cook it in so many different ways.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a chef?
Stuntman.
What is your favourite dish to cook at home?
Chilli con carne. At home on a weekend, with a good guacamole and a few beers – you can’t beat it.
When are you happiest?
When you have a full kitchen team and you start service.
What is your favourite piece of kitchen equipment?
We’ve just had a new kitchen installed as part of the restaurant relaunch. The kit we have brought in is first-class but the Charvet full-induction cooking suite in particular is a dream stove. I’ve never worked with it before but it’s just so sleek, modern and energy efficient which is the ethos we’ve centred the kitchen around.
When you’re not in the kitchen where can you be found?
Spending time with my family and dogs. I’ve got two boys (Tom and Joe) and we’ve just got a third dog on the weekend. I’m kept busy!
What’s your favourite takeaway or comfort food?
Chilli con carne, for the reasons mentioned before.
Where is your favourite place to dine?
Court Farm Inn in Kingskerswell is my local. I always go for chilli nachos.
What do you think is the most over-hyped food trend?
Personally, I’m not big on fusion food. I saw a lot of it in London but it’s not to my choosing.
What differences do you find working with local produce as opposed to non-local produce in terms of what you can create and flavour?
We always strive to work with local suppliers over others as it’s quicker, fresher and we know where it’s coming from. It ties up with what we are about really. It’s good to build up relationships with our suppliers, such as Kingfisher for instance, who we work really closely with to source the best ‘fresh from the market’ fish.
How do you go about menu planning? What’s the process from picking the ingredients to getting them fresh into the kitchen and into dishes?
Once you start the basis of a menu it’s quite fluid really as I always look at the seasons and what’s coming in and out, so you’re constantly refining it. You need that knowledge and planning from previous years, looking at what worked well and what didn’t.
How would you describe the food you create at the Great Western Grill to someone who’s never experienced your kind of food?
I’ve said before, we’re all about the produce and using the best ingredients. So what you’ll find at the Great Western Grill is sustainable and delicious food from the estate and local area which showcases the best of British.
What’s your favourite flavour combination?
I don’t think I have a favourite. I like trying new things. But one of the starters we have is Feuillette of braised ceps, madeira wine with poached quail eggs, which is really fragrant and goes particularly well together.
What is the USP of your restaurant?
It’s exceptional locally sourced core ingredients, beautifully executed, and simply garnished. It’s dining at its best.
What do your future plans entail?
Professionally and personally, I’m really happy here. I love Devon, it’s where I’m from and moving back here with the family was the best decision I ever made. We’re so close to the beach, I can just take my dogs there for a walk to unwind and relax with the family, so the quality of life is so much better. In the kitchen, it’s an exciting time with the restaurant relaunch but I’m never one to sit still with it, I always want to evolve and improve on everything we do.
Factbox
Address: North Bovey, Dartmoor National Park, Devon, TQ13 8RE
Tel: 01647 445000
Website: boveycastle.com
