WINNER’S PROFILE
BATH LIFE AWARDS
RESTAURANT WINNER Sponsored by
THE SCALLOP SHELL
What was the highlight of the night when you won the Bath Life award? I was immensely proud to stand on stage with my wife Lisa and collect the award on behalf of our family and restaurant team who have worked so hard to keep evolving and bettering what we offer to our customers every day. What do you think helps make The Scallop Shell such a success? We just try to cook the beautiful fish and seafood we get in as simply as possible. We will always aim to offer as much fish as we can from our shores, too – as an island we have a huge variety of sustainable fish we can eat, and sharing information about this with our customers is important to us. Did you always want to own a fish restaurant? I started my chef career in Bath and after working for Mitch Tonks at Fishworks in the city, I knew that I wanted to specialise in cooking fish and seafood. He was a great inspiration to me and taught me a lot about UK fish.
PHOTO BY PAOLO FERLA
We catch up with Garry Rosser, chef and owner of the multi-award winning seafood restaurant The Scallop Shell, who talks fish, favourite meals and ideal dinner guests
What is your favourite meal? You can’t beat a lovely, hearty fish stew on a chilly evening – with all the flavours of the fish and shellfish encapsulated in the sauce and some warm crusty bread to dip in. With a glass of wine – it’s the perfect meal. Who are your six dream dinner guests? My wife Lisa, Gary Lineker, Gordon Ramsay, Richard Bertinet, Chris Staines from Abbey Hotel’s Allium restaurant, and the comedian Rhod Gilbert. Are there any foods you don’t like? Pickled eggs.
MY WIFE AND I JUST CELEBRATED OUR 25TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. I KNOW! I DON’T LOOK OLD ENOUGH, RIGHT?
How important has being an active part of the community been to your business? Very important, and not just the support of the community of our loyal local customers, but also the city and local businesses as a whole. I always appreciate how Bath’s extremely talented chefs are all so generous and enthusiastic of each other’s ventures.
Where do you like to eat out in Bath when off-duty? Allium is outstanding – Chris is an exceptional chef; Olé for tapas in a relaxed atmosphere; The King William in Tunley is great and it’s our local; Green Park Tavern for Sunday lunch, and The Pig Near Bath makes us feel instantly relaxed in a stunning location. However, I’m trying to eat out a little less now as my wife has got me doing some exercise!
What do you aim to achieve in the next couple of years? We definitely want to bring more to the table in terms of knowledge about sustainable species available around the these shores, and find new ways of getting people as excited about fish and seafood as we are.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Mitch Tonks said to me, “Whenever things get tough, never stop walking, always just take a step forward. The moment you stop still, you’ll find it hard to start walking again.”
What advice would you give someone looking to go into this sector? You need to be passionate, do your homework and don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Having a speciality has certainly helped me focus, but above all you have to believe in what you’re doing.
Tell us something that might surprise us? My wife and I just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. I know! I don’t look old enough, right?
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For more: www.thescallopshell.co.uk
Garry and wife Lisa celebrate The Scallop Shell’s win at the Bath Life Awards