Is there a better combination in the world of food than Simon Hulstone and some fresh Brixham hake? We don’t think so and neither should you! Simon Hulstone is one of the worlds best seafood chefs, and of course this is helped by the proximity of his Michelin-starred restaurant, The Elephant, and the amazing diversity of seafood caught locally at Brixham.

Rightly so, Simon works closely with the guys at Brixham Harbour to ensure that his restaurant and his customers enjoys some of the freshest and best catch that the world has to offer. Brixham Harbour is now the largest and most diverse fishing port in the country and Simon Hulstone is taking full advantage of this!

Here's one of Simon's favourite seafood recipe, just for you.

Roasted Brixham hake with sweet pea and toffee soup

Ingredients

• 4 x 160g fillets of hake

• 150g hogs pudding

For the soup

• 550g fresh peas

• ½ pint chicken stock

• 2 shallots

• ½ clove garlic

• 150g sugar

• 200g butter

• 50ml double cream

• Salt and pepper

• Micro pea shoots

• Sea salt

Method

Soup

Finely chop the shallots and garlic sweat down in a little oil, add ¼ of the peas and all the chicken stock, in a separate pan make a dry caramel with the sugar - turn the butter and cook until golden (beurre noisette) - add cream and pour onto the caramel to dissolve. Pour onto the stock. Once sugar is dissolved add remaining peas and puree in a blender garnish with pea shoots, fresh peas, crispy bacon and a touch of truffle oil.

Hake

Roast hake and serve with slices of pan fried hogs pudding, fresh peas and herbs, pour over or foam the pea soup around. Serve!

Michelin-starred restaurant, The Elephant

Simon started life as a chef by following in the footsteps of his father, who was head chef at The Imperial Torquay. He worked with his dad from the age of 14 and instantly fell in love with the profession, although he has later admitted that cooking together was a great way for them to spend time together. Many years later and after many successes as a young chef all over the world, including countries such as New Zealand, South Africa, Malta, Canada, Simon started The Elephant in Torquay.

Simon and his wife moved back to Devon and opened The Elephant in 2003. Just a year later, The Room, which is the more formal offering upstairs and offers a tasting menu with wine flights won a prestigious Michelin star. This is the first of its kind in Torquay and the husband and wife team have held it ever since.

Simon Hulstone’s success as a Chef

Simon is regarded across the UK and the world as being a top chef and has represented the UK at the highest level for many years, receiving a lot of recognition for his work. Here is a list of the things Simon has achieved as a chef;

• Simon was awarded the Roux Scholarship in 2003

• In 2004, Simon’s restaurant, The Elephant, was awarded three AA rosettes.

• The restaurant was awarded Torquay’s first Michelin Star

• In 2008, Simon was awarded National Chef of the Year

• Simon is currently English and British ‘Culinary Team Captain’ for both the Olympics and the World Cup

Simon Hulstone, chef and family man

Simon is a very busy man, and is often in the kitchen, fulfilling press commitments and most recently in Norway as their ambassador for cod! Simon tells us that when he gets a break from work he will spend that time with his family visiting local attractions. He loves to get outdoors and has spent lots of time during the summer walking on Dartmoor, visiting the castles of Devon, foraging for wild food and generally just spending quality time with his young family. One of his favourite restaurants to visit on the English Riviera is at the Cary Arms in Torquay.