Ones to watch: Tom Brown

With experience in the kitchens of Rick Stein’s Seafood Bar and the St Kew Inn, Tom developed a natural speciality with cooking fish and became even more interested in the sourcing side of things. ‘I was quite new to the industry back then, but it felt like using local produce and really caring about the ingredients was a huge thing that was only just getting the attention it deserved,’ he says. ‘When I was at the St Kew Inn with Paul the scallops were hand-dived from very close by, guys were catching fish in Padstow and bringing it over and there were farms literally at the end of the road which we’d work with. I’d never seen that before so it was a new thing for me at least, but now it’s very much the done thing and almost sacrilege not to – which is good for everyone involved.’

In 2012, Tom joined Nathan as chef de partie at the St Enodoc Hotel, before eventually working his way up to head chef. Since starting at Outlaw’s at The Capital, he’s been enjoying life in a Michelin-starred kitchen – although he’s careful not to let the pressure get to him. ‘I try not to think about the star, as it’ll just lead to too much worry,’ he says. ‘All we can do is the absolute best and what we know works. The recipes we use are the same as in Nathan’s two-star restaurant in Cornwall and the produce is the same, but there’s this responsibility to keep the culinary heritage of The Capital going. People like Eric Chavot, Tom Kerridge, Gary Rhodes and Brian Turner have worked here previously, so sometimes I feel like I’ve sneaked into an A-list party.’

The aim of Outlaw’s at The Capital is simple – to serve the best fish in London. ‘Everything is very simple and sometimes there are just two elements on the plate, such as a fish and a sauce,’ says Tom. ‘This means the fish has to be the best the diner has ever tasted, and there is no room for error with the sauce. Also, getting the very best produce when it’s as fresh as possible is key. Nathan already had the relationships with fishermen and suppliers down in Cornwall, so that’s where we get ours. We get in fish that’s so fresh and with so much rigor mortis we can’t even prep it that day – a problem very few chefs in the world have!’

While Tom is in charge of the daily operations of the restaurant, Nathan is still heavily involved with any new developments, working very closely with the team. ‘We’re always texting or chatting about ideas for the restaurant,’ says Tom. ‘It’s like having a boss and a teacher as I’m learning from him every day. There’s no one better to learn fish cookery from, so I’m in a really good place. I appreciate the same things about food as Nathan does; the no frills simplicity and cleanliness on the plate.’ Tom and Nathan’s combined expertise has certainly helped shape one of London’s best restaurants, and when it comes to fish, you can’t find anything better in the city.