Your first job in a kitchen?

When I was 16, my mum gave me a choice – get an apprenticeship and leave school or stay in school and go to university. I really didn’t enjoy school, so I chose the apprenticeship as my way out. When I joined as an apprentice at Gleneagles, a historical five-star hotel in Scotland, I became inspired by food, luxury and the culture and family feel of the kitchen.

The brilliant late Chef Andrew Fairlie took me under his wing – he was an amazing mentor and I fell in love with the camaraderie, the teamwork, the passion, the fire, the adrenaline and then my love for experiencing food in a different way grew beyond just nutrition.

Career highlight?

Receiving an MBE has definitely been my proudest achievement yet, to the point that I still pinch myself thinking that this just can’t be real. It was incredible to be appointed for the things that mean the most to me – I always instil education, inspiration and motivation into my team – that’s our ethos and how we work every day. Inspiring not only my team but also our guests, the future of the industry and the wider public in terms of what British food is all about, in a sustainable and luxury way, is what I set out to do and what I intend to continue to focus on.

Did you do a lot of cooking for the rich and famous?

Having my restaurants in such incredible places – the heart of London’s Theatreland in Covent Garden, the beautiful countryside of Old Windsor and in stunning Cornwall, means we get to cook for some really incredible people. It’s a real honour to have Elton John and his family as regulars at The Loch & the Tyne. I do have to admit I was quite starstruck by Dame Emma Thompson when she came for lunch at Frog.

Impressive! Any goss?

No, sorry, nothing I would share, we have to respect the privacy of our guests.

How would you sum up your cooking style and food philosophy?

Each of my restaurants and bars has their own ethos and personality but they’re all centred on sustainable, British, luxury.

Most memorable moment at work?

Achieving my first Michelin star at my flagship restaurant, Frog, in Covent Garden was the most incredible moment for me and my team. We were all so emotional. I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud.

You’re tired, starving and impatient: what do you cook for dinner?

I’d probably make a ramen – something quick but super fresh and tasty.

What would you cook to impress a date?

One of my favourite dishes to cook is ‘Cod, fennel, green chilli’. It’s a slice of Cornwall, where we get our line-caught cod from just one single boat. The cod is aged in seaweed and then lightly steamed in horseradish – which keeps the fish super gentle. It’s then served with grapes and a sauce made from roasted green chillies and whey.

Who is your favourite chef?

I can’t pick one, I’ll have to give you two! At the moment it would be Angelo Sato from Humble Chicken – his dedication and flavour is off the charts and Max Coen from Dorian – I think the food he’s doing is the food that he genuinely wants to eat – always a flavour bomb, with perfectly cooked, incredible ingredients.

Do you have a favourite cookbook?

I don’t want to sound big-headed at all but can I say my own? These three books – Frog, Why Waste? and Perfect, Three Cherries – really are what me and my Collection are all about and are 10 years in the making.

What’s your favourite type of cuisine?

I’m determined to put British food on the map, in its own right. Even the word cuisine is French.

Favourite things to eat when you’re on holiday?

One of my favourite places to go is Malaga. I absolutely love the food, the drink, the people and the environment. I could quite happily live off croquetas and jamón.

Favourite kitchen gadget?

My boiling water tap is the most time-saving invention in my kitchen, it’s great. We also have energy-efficient induction hobs in all our kitchens across the Collection, which only heat up when it senses a pan is resting on it. They’re great obviously for safety reasons but also for reducing energy consumption.

Favourite ingredient and why?

Seaweed. It’s real umami and you can put it in everything from desserts to savouries. There aren’t many dishes that it can’t improve – it enhances all flavours to make them taste even more delicious.

Most overrated ingredient?

I don’t know if I think any ingredients are particularly ‘overrated’ but I do think we buy way too much produce from abroad when we have such incredible alternative ingredients that we can use from the UK. We’ve upped our foraging recently and you’d be surprised at how much you can find on your doorstep in the UK – right next to my house in Barnes there’s wild-growing woodruff too and sweet cicely flowers. We’ve expanded our gardens at The Loch & the Tyne and The Tartan Fox this year, and have everything from herbs and wild flowers to onions, potatoes, peas, courgettes and broad beans at our fingertips. Having it right there allows us to utilise the produce at its absolute best. We also realised that, because we travel around from venue to venue, we can pick some beautiful foraged Cornish ingredients like samphire and seaweed from The Tartan Fox and bring it back with us to The Loch & the Tyne and vice versa with produce we grow in Old Windsor that can be used in Cornwall.

Tell us your best ever cooking tip?

Think twice before throwing something in the bin.

Opening on a new site just a week or so after closing the previous one must have been a challenge. Tell us about the new space? What are your highlights?

Ugly Butterfly Adam Handling The Headland Newquay

It was definitely a challenge. I’m not going to lie about it but we had known about the closure for a few months. So, as soon as we got told we were losing our lease, we had to switch on fight or flight mode. Ultimately, we needed to protect the team and save the brand. We did just that. We knocked on lots of doors and chanced our luck. When we approached The Headland, it was met with a lot of excitement from both us and them. First thoughts were, ‘why did we not think of this before’, especially as The Headland completely shares our ethos – treating the team like family, encouraging everyone to grow, progress and develop, as well as our deep-rooted sustainability practices. It really is like we were made for each other.

It hasn’t been easy though – juggling the legals of 1) negotiating our new lease, 2) winding down another, whilst also ensuring all the operations were still running at full capability was a massive burden and weight, not only on my shoulders but all the senior team’s. We only had one thought in mind and it was that Ugly Butterfly will succeed!

As far as the space is concerned, we’ve got three stunning spaces. The best thing about the restaurant, with its wrap-around windows, is the incredible views of the sunset. We’ve really let the natural surroundings guide everything – from the local, seasonal ingredients to how the space feels.

Inside, it’s all soft pinks and greens, dried flowers, and warm little lamps. Out on the terrace, it’s proper comfort food with a Cornish twist and you can have the same menu in the bar. Our bar is all about comfort, with lots of sofas and armchairs that you can just melt into.

Both restaurant and bar showcase artwork from some of my favourite artists, including JJ Adams and Wolf Blazar. And, of course, we have beautiful views over the lawns of The Headland across to Fistral Beach.

We have decided to change what we previously did with the menu. It’s basically an a la carte menu only. This way our guests can come in 4/5 days in a row and have completely different dishes and menu offerings.

We wanted to make Ugly Butterfly more accessible and really push the boundaries to cook more sustainably than before. Investing in farms and gardens in the Collection, as well as plans to bring in livestock in our sites. Expanding the teams to the most we have ever had to. Ugly butterfly has came back pushing harder and being better than ever. You have my word on that.

Our afternoon tea is a modern take on a British classic, perfect with a glass of Krug.

I know you hate the phrase ‘fine-dining’, so how would you describe your food, and the UB/AH experience?

I really do hate the expression ‘fine dining’ – just because we cook properly and have high standards in our skill levels doesn’t mean we are a fine dining restaurant – it just means we respect the products we use and the guests we serve.

Ugly Butterfly can be used for a great date night, watching the sun set overlooking Fistral beach. It could be a place to bring your mum for afternoon tea or even a bunch of friends drinking super chilled Martinis and smashing in oysters on the terrace.

It’s a place for all occasions and to suit everyone’s needs. Essentially, if I were to build a restaurant for how I like to eat and drink, this would be it.

Any other big plans for UB 2.0? I hear you’re gunning for a Michelin star!

I’ve never wanted to be the best restaurant in the world, I do want to be the favourite restaurant in the area though. That’s my goal. Obviously, I’m a driven person and if we get a star because we deserve it, it’s definitely an added bonus. The star isn’t for me – it’s recognition for the team that standards mean everything.

chefs Adam Handling and team at Ugly Butterfly The Headland

Your chocolate shop in London is new this year, and the hot chocolate we just tried was the best I’ve tasted. Is that part of the afternoon tea? And can we just pop in for a post-surf drink?

It’s pretty tasty isn’t it! We’ve already had lots of people just pop in for a hot chocolate and that’s it. I love that – the news of what we are doing is making waves (excuse the pun).

And we ask everyone this! What’s your favourite Cornish view or beach, and why!

Fistral Beach, above, because it’s a beach where you can watch the sun set. Proper romantic and it makes the hard days so worth it!

Ugly Butterfly is open from 11.00 am to 11.30 pm every day – visit for a drink, a snack, afternoon tea or for lunch or dinner – this location is all about flexibility

Ugly Butterfly, The Headland, Headland Rd, Newquay TR7 1EW

uglybutterfly.co.uk

The Adam Handling Collection: Frog by Adam Handling, Eve Bar, The Loch & the Tyne, Ugly Butterfly, The Tartan Fox, The Adam Handling Chocolate Shop

What’s Cooking? Adam Handling MBE, Ugly Butterfly, The Headland Hotel, Newquay

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