Devon chef launches own company, second restaurant planned

The Courtyard in Woolacombe will be re-opened as NC@EX34, after which Corston will turn his focus to the next venture for his new company, Noel Corston Restaurants, a signature restaurant.
Corston said the brasserie style concept would retain the same local sourcing, quality of offering and relaxed style which has proved popular since The Courtyard opened. The business won Best Restaurant at the North Devon Food & Drink Awards 2011/12 and Corston collected the award from fellow Devon chef Michael Caines.
"The menus at NC@EX34in Woolacombe will focus heavily on seasonality, with a very strong South West accent present throughout the sourcing, preparation, cooking and service. They will offer much more than The Courtyard in terms of variety, but will remain underpinned by the solid cooking techniques which form the foundations of my business," he said.
Before The Courtyard, Corston previously worked at a number of restaurants in the West Country and for a number of years at The Canteen in Chelsea Harbour before travelling and working at a restaurant in Mexico.