вЂI was working up the road at my local pub in Cornwall as a kitchen porter, and had fallen out of love with being in a classroom at college. вЂI got into cooking by accident,вЂ™ he explains. But, as with all chefs, the road to Michelin stardom started at the bottom of the culinary pecking order. A protГ©gГ© of acclaimed Cornish chef Nathan Outlaw, heвЂ™s now known for incredible cooking in his own right, rising through the ranks of some incredible institutions. One of the latest chefs to come out of the county and contribute to the UKвЂ™s thriving food scene is Tom Brown.

ItвЂ™s easy to see why вЂ“ with access to some truly incredible produce (particularly seafood and dairy), the finest catering colleges and multiple Michelin-starred restaurants, itвЂ™s rightfully earned its title as one of EuropeвЂ™s top foodie destinations. Making a name for himself as head chef of OutlawвЂ™s at The Capital and on Great British Menu 2017, Tom Brown is a bright young talent now in charge of his own Michelin-starred restaurant вЂ“ Cornerstone вЂ“ in Hackney Wick.Д¬ornwall has produced some of the best chefs cooking in Britain today. Judging by his efforts so far, heвЂ™s on the right track. He has said that the goal is for Cornerstone to put Hackney Wick on the London food map, perhaps in the way that Rick Stein once did in Padstow. ItвЂ™s clear from the outset that TomвЂ™s solo debut means a lot to him. The cocktail menu features CornerstoneвЂ™s homemade infusions, and inventive cocktails like вЂFiresideвЂ™ вЂ“ made with Quiquiriqui mezcal, vine leaf syrup, egg whites and lemon and вЂOne For The RoadвЂ™ вЂ“ a tangy mix of blood orange, red vermouth, DewarвЂ™s twelve-year-old scotch and cherry.

The wine list is compact and well-focused, with an emphasis on natural and biodynamic wines. The thoughtful touches that are evident in the menu are reflected all over the restaurant too. The emphasis here is on fresh British produce above all else вЂ“ as soon as something new and fresh becomes available, it goes on the menu. Chicken liver croquettes with devilled mayonnaise are a simple but effective pleasure, and the duck leg scrumpet with chicory ketchup, orange and smoked almonds is a perfect example of TomвЂ™s burgeoning creativity and touch. Dishes like pickled oyster, celery and horseradish, smoked haddock with leek, rarebit tart and pickled walnuts, and roast cod with CafГ© de Paris hollandaise all hark back to his Outlaw days вЂ“ but there are other land-based dishes that capture the imagination. ThereвЂ™s still a clear emphasis on fish and seafood at Cornerstone вЂ“ a hallmark of his career to date, and time spent with the likes of Nathan Outlaw and Paul Ripley at Rick Stein's Seafood Bar. He displayed his impressive talent on last yearвЂ™s Great British Menu, winning the South West heats to make the final of the competition. Though heвЂ™s built a reputation off the back of deft fish and seafood cooking, TomвЂ™s cookery is far more rounded and accomplished than that. There are eleven stools around the kitchen counter for those who want to see Tom cooking up close and personal, and space for another thirty-five guests on elegant tables around the outside. Light pours in through the glass front, giving the whole room a light-hearted bistro feel. Walk in through the doors and it's impossible not to notice the sleek, minimalist kitchen in the centre of the room. The result is Cornerstone вЂ“ a gorgeous, airy restaurant, where Tom exercises his creative genius and signature Cornish light touch, serving fresh, pared-back small plates. Formerly head chef of Outlaw's at The Capital and right-hand man to Nathan Outlaw himself, Tom decided to strike out on his own at the beginning of 2018 and set up his first solo venture. Hackney Wick isn't exactly known for its food offering, but if anyone can change that, it's Tom Brown.

Cornerstone restaurant