Elly Wentworth, runner up of MasterChef The Professionals 2016, Elly has been brought in to help relaunch the 45 seat waterside restaurant, The Angel Dartmouth, following its recent refurbishment earlier in 2018.
Elly Wentworth
They now offer an à la carte menu, with a tasting menu due to be added later this year. The focus is on championing Devon produce with meat from native Devon breeds like Ruby Red cows and Greyface lambs, and fish sourced from nearby markets. Elly says they like to get to know farmers like ‘The Dartmoor Shepherd’: “ We look carefully into how the animals are looked after and follow the journey from the field to the plate so we can speak truthfully about our dishes to customers.” The passion for sourcing things locally doesn’t only apply to the food; Elly says the mini sheepskin rugs on each bar stool are from one of the farms where they source their meat! “It’s so easy to get great ingredients here. In the 20-mile radius around Dartmouth we’ve got an abundance of fantastic produce with the sea, fields and the moor and we need to make the most of that – why go elsewhere!”
The Angel
Elly’s menu is modern and full of intriguing combinations. So far the turbot with lobster and lemon verbena velouté and the seabass with roast chicken consommé are the favourites. She says she has taken a little bit of inspiration from the various places she’s previously worked to create new and exciting dishes.
Elly began her catering career as pot washer at her local pub when she was just 13. She went on to study professional catering at Plymouth City College then worked in restaurants in Wales and the Lake District before returning to the South West to work for the Tanner brothers in Plymouth and at the Elephant in Torquay. She is no stranger to coming out top as she won the ‘Young Professional’ class of the ‘South West Chef of the Year’ competition in 2012. Two years later in 2014 she won the overall title of ‘South West Chef of the Year’. Then in 2016 she was entered for ‘MasterChef the Professionals’ when she was working as Junior Sous Chef at Lucknam Park in Bath.
Since appearing on the TV show Elly says she has been returning to places she has previously worked as a ‘celebrity chef’. Elly says she’s tried to stop all the fame going to her head and her colleagues seem very relaxed working alongside her. Elly has three ladies in her team and hopes to be a mentor, as well as a leader for them. She says she is a relaxed head chef, with very little shouting going on in the kitchen. The other female chefs are quick to back that up saying they would describe her as “calm, organised and obsessive about cleaning!” At just 26 years old Elly is still in the early stages of her career, she’s clearly very driven and is excited by the opportunity she’s been given here: “When The Angel team got in touch I really wanted to come to Dartmouth and lead the team. I knew about the history of the restaurant with Joyce Molineux opening it back in 1974 and being the first woman to gain a Michelin Star. I have the same passion for food as she does and want to carry on her success and be an inspiration for female chefs.”
Catering manager Matt Palmer said he believes Elly will take The Angel, which has the tag line – Taste of Devon - in the right direction: “I think it’s so important to keep food simple and allow the quality of the produce to do the talking on the plate. I wanted to choose a head chef who was as passionate as me about local produce and traditional breeds. I hope Elly will achieve all her goals and make The Angel a destination restaurant.” Elly is now looking to create a delicious vegetarian menu, which will wow non-meat eaters and she is hoping that she can continue her previous success and bring a few awards to the waterfront here in Dartmouth.
The Angel is open 5 days a week from Tuesday to Saturday, why not pop in for lunch or dinner. If you fancy a tipple before your meal, fully qualified mixologist Joey Bongard can create a range of fruity and elegant cocktails. He works closely with the chefs to give a modern twist to some old classics. Book on line at www.theangeldartmouth.co.uk or telephone 01803 833488