Chef Spotlight | Iain Dawson of The Old Warehouse Kingsbridge
The Old Warehouse Taproom, Kitchen and Café opened in Kingsbridge opened in summer 2022 and quickly became the place to go for many locals and visitors to the area alike. Also home to the award-winning Moonhoney Mead brewery, The Old Warehouse hosts regular events, such as the popular ‘Every Folkin’ Tuesday’ music nights.
Head Chef, Iain Dawson, leads the Old Warehouse kitchen. With a passion for cooking over fire, Iain creates adventurous menus with locally sourced ingredients.
We asked Iain to tell us about his career, his cooking style and what to look forward to on The Old Warehouse menu this season...
Hi Iain. Tell us a little about yourself?
Born in Canada, I was Captain of the Canadian Junior Culinary Team and then moved from Canada to the United Kingdom to join Heston Blumenthal’s kitchens in Bray.
Before coming to The Old Warehouse, I most recently worked locally at The Millbrook Inn in South Pool and the Live & Let Live Inn near Totnes.
I’m fascinated by fire (where cooking is concerned!) and it’s become ingrained in my style of cooking. Taking local quality ingredients and cooking them over the intense heat of a charcoal grill, or the more gentle caress of an outdoor smoker, I enjoy creating simple dishes with incredible flavours.
Three words to sum up your cooking style?
Local. Humble. Adventurous.
Tell us your most treasured or earliest food memory?
As a small child we often went camping and apparently I was particularly drawn to the fire pit… I have great memories of bananas covered in marshmallows, wrapped in foil and thrown in the fire.
What has been your career highlight so far?
Being able to travel so much and experience so many different foods – when you travel for food it lets you see the world through a different lens.
Now I’m based in Devon, with ready access to so much great produce, one word sums up Devon for me – provenance. I love knowing where everything has come from.
Do you have a favourite seasonal ingredient, and how do you serve it?
I love using Jerusalem Artichokes when they are in season. Their natural sweetness and creaminess are perfect for a purée or soup, but also the versatility of the skins makes a great crisp.
What does ‘sustainable’ mean to you?
Sourcing ingredients locally and seasonally, reducing food waste and planning my menus to make the most of ingredients across recipes.
It’s also about community. As a passionate chef it's about finding people locally who are as passionate as you are, and working together to create a sustainable environment.
What’s your favourite thing/dish on your menu now and why?
It’s hard to choose one but perhaps The Old Warehouse sausages. I enjoy the whole process of designing and creating the ‘sausage of the month’, incorporating Moonhoney products brewed in house (I’ve used both the King Bee IPA and a Stout). They are certainly very popular with our customers.
There again, my house smoked brisket would also be up there!
What’s coming up this season on your menu?
From the charcoal oven we will be adding to the dinner menu Local Coley, brushed in house jerk marinade and served over corn maque choux, red pepper coulis and topped with crayfish tails.
Regular favourites including 10oz Barbecued Pork Chop and Grilled Aubergine, with wild mushrooms, grilled miso cabbage and a rich sesame sauce will still be on the menu.
As a starter or small plate the Blistered Tomatoes on Toast, with burrata cheese, salsa verde, spiced crumb and fresh greens is a new seasonal addition too.
Do you have a favourite drink?
After service I do enjoy a beer from the great range of local craft beer here at The Old Warehouse, particuarly Moonhoney’s King Bee IPA.
I’ve also discovered more about mead since being at The Old Warehouse. It’s brewed on the premises so couldn’t be more local and has proven to be a great ingredient in my cooking too - I use it in the glaze for my peri peri chicken and it’s great in desserts too.
Where is on your bucket list of places to eat?
I’ve got a list of restaurants that are a source of inspiration to me, not only in their food style and philosophy, but also how they market to their customers.
These include Hawksmoor and The Smoking Goat Bar in London, and Burnt Ends in Singapore.
Find out more about the uber-cool Old Warehouse in Kingsbridge, their regular events and the in-house brew, Moonhoney Mead visit the website.