The former senior sous chef at Rick Stein’s Seafood restaurant in Padstow is moving to west Cornwall to oversee the dining room at the Old Coastguard, on the seafront in Mousehole.

Jamie Porter has been appointed to his first head chef role at the 15-bedroom hotel restaurant, which hangs on the hilly entrance to the historic fishing village, just above harbour.

The Old Coastguard is a boutique-ish hotel that’s part of the Eat DrinkSleep group, which also owns nearby Zennor’s famous Gurnard’s Head pub, and also the once path-breaking Felin Fach near Hay on Wye.

After spending three-and-a-half years working for Stein, Porter spent four years as a chef and food stylist in Cornwall.

Porter grew up in Padstow and entered hospitality full-time after securing a chef apprenticeship at Cornwall College, which he undertook while working at St Petroc’s Bisto, Seafood’s sister site.

Porter also spent time working at the three Michelin-starred Waterside Inn in Bray, Berkshire.

The chef told The Caterer: “I was brought up handling the fish from my dad’s boat and this brings me full circle.

“I’ve learned so much from my mentor at the Seafood restaurant, Stephane Délourme, particularly about how to cook simply with fish, and I’m absolutely confident this sets me up perfectly for working at the Old Coastguard.”

Charles Inkin, who founded Eat DrinkSleep with his brother Edmund added: “It is such brilliant news to have Jamie joining us in Mousehole. His background at the Seafood restaurant sits so well with our desire to make the most of our proximity to Newlyn and the fish market.

“Our guests at the Old Coastguard should be enjoying the very best seafood and we’ve huge confidence that Jamie brings just the right skills to make that happen.”