Scott Paton
In 2023 Àclèaf was awarded its first MICHELIN Star with Scott Paton as Chef Patron, leading the team to this achievement. Scott Paton’s dreams and dedication have shaped the way for dining at Àclèaf, building his loyal team and allowing his culinary visions to go from concept to plate.
The Story so Far
Leaving school at 16, knowing that further education wasn’t a direction for me, I was gripped by the buzz of the kitchen so I set out on becoming the best chef I could. Passing through the ranks quickly I assumed my first Chef Patron role in 2011. After five years at The Horn of Plenty and using that time to find my style, I moved across to The Gallery Restaurant at Boringdon Hall. I saw the potential of the hotel under the guidance of the team of Directors and I was excited by their ambition.
The Vision
Having a vision of what would make a great restaurant, the Directors gave me the opportunity to set the stage and make the vision of a destination restaurant a reality. From there, we have worked on building a great team and atmosphere where collaboration and creativity is encouraged. We have honest discussions and assess every detail of a dish to ensure it’s the best it can possibly be before it makes it onto the menu. From there we will constantly be refining dishes and questioning every element, there’s no such thing as the perfect dish as you can always push it that little further. That’s what keeps the whole team going and creating those memories for our guests with surprises along the way is really rewarding and keeps that passion alive.
The Beginning
I’ve always wanted to cook from an early age and was fascinated by food and how it can be used to bring people together, make them smile, and create special memories. I started my career at the age of 14, I really got absorbed by the atmosphere at the Jack in the Green where I started as a kitchen porter. Six months later I was cooking. The kitchen always had such a buzz and excitement which was a great atmosphere to be in. I believe starting as a Kitchen Porter is the best place to start in kitchen life, it gives you the ability to see and appreciate every job role on the way up.
The process never stops for the team and I; during every service, each plate is critiqued and the question is always asked, “How can this be better?”
It’s through excellence at this level which keeps the restaurant and team constantly moving forward.
Our Chefs
Awarded with a MICHELIN Star in 2023, there are no boundaries in our kitchen, we have a style and we know what that is and we are confident in our ability to keep to this style running throughout our dishes. Our chefs in Àclèaf are all trained in the classics but we’re not one to let rules get in the way of creativity and we make sure that the kitchen is an environment where the team can come together; to share ideas without the fear of rejection or failure. It’s this openness that allows for creativity to thrive and creates an atmosphere where people are excited to join the team and continue pushing forwards towards the same goal .
Service
Monday - Sunday
6:30pm - 9:30pm