A chat with Jack Stein
A TV regular and award-winning chef, Jack also authored World on a Plate and leads cookery courses at Rick Stein's Cookery School. Jack will be delivering a talk at Padstow Kitchen Garden during a delicious Field to Fork experience on our culinary Cornwall tour. Ahead of this, he sat down with us to talk about his life, career and all things Padstow.
Growing up, did you always know you wanted to be a chef?
Not really. I grew up around food and restaurants, but I didn't plan on becoming a chef. I studied psychology first, then realised the kitchen was where I felt most at home. Once I started cooking full time, that was it. I was hooked.
What was it like growing up with a famous dad? And how has he helped or influenced your career?
It was great in many ways. I got to see what hard work looks like up close. Dad's influence has always been about respecting ingredients and staying consistent. He never pushed me into the business. I worked my way up like everyone else - washing up, prepping, long shifts. That experience matters.
You've worked in kitchens around the world. How did these different destinations influence your cooking?
Every place taught me something different. In Asia, I learned about balance and bold flavour. In France, it was discipline and precision. In Australia, there was freedom and creativity. All of it shaped how I think about food now - local produce and global ideas.
Please tell us a few highlights of your career
Becoming chef director of the family business was a big one. Writing World on a Plate gave me space to tell stories behind the dishes. I was one of the original judges on Cooking with the Stars, which was great fun, and I was really pleased with my show Inside the Box - that was my original idea and something I'm proud of. I've also loved creating events like Tapas & Tunes with my brothers. It keeps things fresh.
And what about some of the most challenging moments of your career?
Running restaurants is always challenging - staffing, margins, consistency. The toughest part has been keeping momentum through difficult trading years while balancing family and business life. But it's all part of it. You learn to adapt.
What makes Cornwall special for you?
It's home. The sea, the light, the produce - it all feeds into how I cook. There's a rawness to Cornwall that I love. You can taste the place in the food. When I'm surfing, I get the same connection to the ocean that I do when I'm cooking fish straight from it. It reminds me why I live here.
I've always said we should have proper food tours here like you get in Italy. The people and producers are such characters - growers, fishermen, cheesemakers, brewers. You could spend a week just eating your way around Cornwall and never get bored.
Can you give us a teaser of what you will be talking about on the trip
I'll be sharing stories about coastal cooking - how the sea and land shape what we do. We'll talk about local growers, fishermen, and how simple ingredients can tell a bigger story about where you are.
What do you think are the real highlights of the trip?
Meeting the people behind the produce. Visiting places like Padstow Kitchen Garden, seeing fish come off the boat, and sitting down to eat what's just been caught. Cornwall's food scene is about connection - between people, place, and plate.
Tell us about some of your earliest food memories
Most of my memories are in the kitchen at Padstow. The smell of fish cooking, Sunday roasts, trying new dishes with Dad. Food was always around, and it felt natural to be part of it.
If you could cook only one meal again, what would it be and why?
Whole turbot on the bone with seaweed butter. It's clean, simple, and full of flavour. It sums up what I love about cooking - good produce, cooked properly, no fuss.
Where is your favourite foodie destination to travel to?
Japan. The precision, the respect for technique, and the balance of flavours are unmatched. Spain's up there too for its energy and approach to ingredients - everything feels alive there.
