Words by Hannah Tapping
British chef Simon Stallard’s Scillonian beach feasts are a fitting finale to an island foodie celebration.
Renowned for its crystal-clear waters and white sand beaches you would be forgiven for thinking that the Isles of Scilly were much further flung than their mere 28 miles off the Cornish coast. Made up of 140 islands, five of which are inhabited, Scilly has long since been the holiday destination of choice for discerning travelers, including royalty. However, it’s not just the tourist industry that thrives in these parts.Island families going back generations, living alongside newly arrived islanders, are putting the Isles of Scilly on the map for a different reason…food and drink.
Fed from land and sea, makers, growers, harvesters, fishermen, farmers, distillers and more will come together in a foodie celebration in September that this year will host a rather notable chef, author and founder of the Roseland’s acclaimed Hidden Hut, Simon Stallard. Well-known and loved for his sustainable, meaningful and low impact dining experiences, using hyper-local, fresh produce and wood-fired cooking in remote and unique locations, his inventive approach to cooking has become iconic, having personally developed his own techniques and field-kitchen set-ups; from firepits dug in the sand, to wind-chime fish smokers and wood-fired rotisseries, every feast is its own, with Simon perfecting the art of off-grid, authentic culinary experiences.
Tresco, St Martin’s and St Mary’s will all play host to Simon’s cook-ups as he showcases island produce including SC Dogs distillery on St Martin’s, Scilly Chilli and Island Fish from Bryher, and St Martin’s Vineyard. Other new events this year will see SC Dogs hosting a sunset pop-up rum bar on St Martin’s, an island-hopping supper safari offering a culinary experience steepd in local provenance travelling between islands on a private boat and a beehive tour discovering the Scilly Bee Project. Other smaller events will involve international cuisine, farmyard pizza pop-ups, polytunnel suppers, distillery tours and canape evenings, and hotels creating one-off menus showcasing the abundance of home-grown produce on these wild little isles.
Left/middle by Danny North Right by Adj Brown
Credit: Adj Brown
Credit: Adj Brown
Credit: Adj Brown
Credit: Adj Brown
Credit: Adj Brown
Taste of Scilly runs from the 15th-25th September with the Simon Stallard events taking place on the 23rd on Tresco, the 24th on St Martin’s and the 25th on St Mary’s.