Chef Hylton Espey to launch ‘nature-inspired’ restaurant in Falmouth

Culture is expected to launch this summer on Arwenack Street within the space that was once home to Warehouse Bistro and will ‘celebrate local produce and hyper-seasonal cooking’ by offering a menu of ‘nature-inspired’ cuisine. 

Espey will run the 30-cover fine dining restaurant in partnership with his wife Petronella, who was also born in South Africa.

The space - which backs onto the port town's quay and is located below African restaurant Amanzi - will be pared back, featuring an open kitchen, raw wood, open masonry and blackened steel countertops. 

Culture will offer a choice of two tasting menus of around seven courses each that showcase ‘ethically conscious’ local suppliers. 

“By building and maintaining fantastic relationships with my suppliers, I aim to source the freshest produce available," Hylton says.

"I work directly with farmers to produce sustainable and where possible organically grown food for my kitchen. I’m constantly experimenting with new flavours and techniques trying to utilise indigenous plants, so that I can include them in my repertoire."

"My food style is about unique flavour combinations, with a few surprises on the plate. I want my plates to resemble and represent the ingredients they’re comprised of in a fresh, natural and modern way.”

Hylton says that Culture will be run as sustainably as possible, with the kitchen set to work hard to minimise waste as well as ask its suppliers to deliver food in reusable boxes. 

Before making the move to Cornwall Hylton was executive chef at the sustainability-focused Cavalli Estate in Helderberg. Previous to that he worked at a number of the country’s top restaurants including Ginja in Cape Town.