An acclaimed chef and restaurateur is preparing to open his second food pub, this time near Helston.

Chef and restaurateur Ben Tunnicliffe, alongside his head chef Matt Smith, has taken over The Packet Inn at Rosudgeon, on the Helston to Penzance road and close to Prussia Cove.

The pub, an old coaching inn, officially opens its doors on September 2.

The pair already have The Tolcarne Inn at Newlyn, which is known for its seafood dishes. It was taken over by Ben in 2012, with Matt joining the team last year as head chef.

Ben and Matt - who promise a “Cornish pub for all seasons” and “a microcosm of Cornwall’s famously good food and drink" - said they have been looking for a second site for some time and, despite difficult trading conditions, refused to be thwarted in getting their hands on The Packet, even by a global pandemic.

It's not the first time that Ben has been linked to the Helston area restaurant trade.

Falmouth Packet:

An example of a dish served by the pair

He previously worked for a time as head chef at the former Nansloe Manor hotel in Helston, back in 2011.

While the location of The Tolcarne, on the harbourside of one of the UK’s major fishing ports, naturally dictates a focus on seafood, The Packet sits between coast and countryside, with Ben and Matt promising to look to both for inspiration.

Ben said: “As ever we’ll be guided by seasonal cycles and our love for the finest local produce, but we’ll be working with local butchers and smallholders as well as growers and fishermen.

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"So, as well as superb seafood, guests can expect grass-fed beef, free range poultry and outdoor-reared pork as well as colourful and creative vegetarian and vegan food.”

The menu will be in a ‘small plates’ format, encouraging diners to order and share a wide variety of dishes rather than the traditional three courses.

Referring to their decision to launch a new pub during one of the most uncertain periods in living memory, Ben added: "I will always be an optimist; I just can’t help myself.

"I have so much faith in the quality and reputation of the Cornish food and hospitality scene, in the talented people who deliver and supply it, and in the level of support and appreciation from the public that I can’t help but feel we’ll come out of this stronger eventually.”

Falmouth Packet:

The Packet will be serving 'small plates'

Matt agreed, saying: “The timing is challenging and there’s not many people launching new enterprises right now, but The Packet will be very accessible – both in terms of location and price – and the site lends itself well to adaptation and social distancing.

"It’s really great to be doing something positive - our staff and suppliers have received a much-needed boost as a result of this launch.”

Online bookings for The Packet will be launching within days.

The pub was previously known for some time as The Falmouth Packet and derives its name from the Packet Service of ships that arrived and departed Falmouth between the 1600s and 1800s and transported mail all around the world.