The Millbrook Inn at South Pool has announced the appointment of Jamie Rogers as its new executive chef. Jamie, who is the acclaimed owner of the award-winning Twenty Seven restaurant in Kingsbridge, brings with him a wealth of experience and numerous accolades.
Recognised and applauded for his outstanding food, Jamie, who grew up in Wales, began his cheffing career in Devon, starting as a pot-washer and salad prep assistant at the Cricket Inn in Beesands. He has since worked in some of the top kitchens in the area, including Tanners and the Barbican Kitchen, the Glassblowing House on the Barbican, the South Sands Hotel, and Langdon Court Hotel. He competed in Masterchef: The Professionals and has been named South West Chef of the Year.
Jamie said: “I’m so pleased to be joining the Millbrook Inn as the executive chef. It’s a pub I have admired for a number of years. Its reputation for serving some of the best food in the area is well-deserved, and I’m looking forward to contributing to its continued success.”
Jamie opened Twenty Seven in 2018 and quickly established it as a destination for foodies across Devon and beyond. He will continue to run Twenty Seven. The Millbrook Inn, also renowned for its food, will provide Jamie with a new outlet for his skills. This will include using a Josper, an indoor oven that allows cooking over a live flame, showcasing how fire can add an incredible depth of flavour to food.
Jamie said: “The Josper will enable me to be really creative with my cooking, creating bold, smoky flavours on a menu that really shouts about the Millbrook’s commitment to using high-quality, locally sourced ingredients and contributing to its reputation for serving some of the best food in the area.”
The Millbrook Inn is owned by the Owens family and much of the food is sourced from their family farm – Fowlescombe Farm, with organic native and rare breed meat making a regular appearance on the menu as well as home grown vegetables and fruit from the market garden.
“The fact that much of the food is sourced from Fowlescombe Farm is an added bonus – I’ve always been passionate about using the best possible ingredients and I’m excited to be working with such exceptional meat and produce,” commented Jamie.
He added: “It’s nice to be able offer more simplistic food at the Millbrook Inn, compared to what I am doing at Twenty Seven, and its exciting to be able to express this style. My aim is to take the Millbrook Inn to the same level that’s recognised at Twenty Seven and working closely with the Owens family, we’ll be putting South Devon firmly on the map as a top foodie destination.”
The Owens family, who also own two holiday cottages opposite the pub, are delighted with the appointment of Jamie and said: “We are really excited that Jamie has joined us. He shares our passion for creating menus that use fresh farm ingredients, and then cooking them simply and letting them shine. To have him at the Millbrook Inn as our executive chef is hugely exciting and we can’t wait to see how the pub’s food moves forward under his guidance.”