Acorn winners 2017: Scott Paton

Head chef, Boringdon Hall, Colebrook, Plymouth, Devon

Nominated by Laura Cameron, operations director, Boringdon Hall

Proudest moment "Earning a third rosette for the second time in my career and achieving five-star status at Boringdon Hall."

Greatest inspiration

Ambition “Obviously I would like the tyre men to come knocking, but I guess that’s what every young chef will say! I would like to be seen as an inspiration to younger chefs. I don’t know how that can be measured, but if I can be part of keeping our industry alive, I would love that.”

Since arriving at Boringdon Hall a year ago, chef Scott Paton has barely drawn breath. Having taken over the running of the kitchen at the manor house just outside Plymouth, Paton has achieved three-AA-rosette status and helped the hotel receive a five-star rating from the AA Hotel Guide as well as an award for The Times Top Spa Hotel. In this short space of time, he has also opened two new restaurants at the popular destination, including the Wembury and Spatisserie at the newly opened Gaia Spa.

Paton is a local boy and worked at the Jack in the Green in Rockbeare, near Exeter, before moving to the Horn of Plenty, where he worked his way up to head chef. In his role at Boringdon Hall he oversees a team of 20 and works closely with the F&B manager to oversee a team of 25 front of house staff.

The winner of the South West’s Food magazine’s Best Chef Award in 2017, Paton has delivered an increase in food sales of 15% and an increase in à la carte sales by 33%. But his swift success hasn’t come as a surprise to Paton’s nominator, who describes him as the “calmest, most down to earth, guest-focused chef” she has ever had the pleasure to work with.