Tucked away on North Quay just around the corner from Chain Locker in Falmouth is a unique experience led by chefs who have cooked across the globe.

Invited to see the magic happen in the kitchen, head chef Vincent Gatay alongside cook and front of house maestro Kasae Fraser, have turned a regular bistro into a fine dining restaurant.

All this is situated on a restored 1930s French barge with a stunning harbour view – owned by Tony and Kate Elliott-Cannon.

When they opened La Peniche they thought it was going to be a normal café bistro. However, the direction has been changed into something quite spectacular thanks to the culinary skills of Vincent.

Recently I was lucky enough to get a chance to watch Vincent and Kasae in action as they prepared for service.

Where have you cooked Vincent? What are your influences?

I am originally from France, but I have worked in Sweden, also cooking in New Zealand, and Australia. The influences are from all over, a combination of styles from different places. Here we have tried to do something different and give people an experience and a nice place to go for special occasions.

What brought you to La Peniche?

I was working in a restaurant in Sweden and one of my colleagues was from Cornwall. He said really nice things. We ended up moving over, looking for an experience and an adventure. Kasae joined me as a manager and she helped me with the menu design, recipes, and getting the kitchen up to scratch.

What would you say the key to running a good kitchen is?

It is important to be organised. We are always planning ahead as much as we can. The fact we have a smaller kitchen means we can change things around at short notice. It is knowing the seasons as well, not trying to put things on the menu that aren't in season.

What is it like cooking on a boat?

There are a lot of challenges that come with cooking on a boat. We are not from a boating background, but it has been a unique learning experience. I think part of the attraction to joining La Peniche was to have the opportunity to cook on a boat. It took some getting used to at first but now we don't think anything of it.

What would you say your speciality/best dish is?

We try to change the menu as much as we can. Favourite thing to cook with is vegetables or seafood. We use Patrick's Patch quite a lot – there is so much great fresh produce around the place. We try to use as much local produce as we can, sometimes we might use products that come from France and other places. It is a balance because we can't always get what we need.

What is your favourite part about Cornwall?

We have been here for around one year now. It is important for us to be next to the coast to get the best seafood – we love it. Also, the fact you can switch between the town, sea, and the forests. These things are mixed up in one place which is interesting for a chef to be able to source all different types of ingredients.

Why not book yourselves in for dinner? Message the team through Facebook or call 01326 316177.

Click here to see more from La Peniche.

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