Independent family brewer St Austell has 175 pubs, mainly in Devon and Cornwall. The company takes pride in the fact that it sources predominantly from these two counties. Executive chef Paul Drye is responsible for the food offering in 28 of its managed pubs. They have a combined turnover of £27.3m.
As well as overall food quality and profitability, Paul is responsible for menu development, sourcing produce and training staff. He is also available as a food consultant to the company's pub tenants.
Judges considered that Paul's personal contribution, given the diversity and number of the pubs under his wing, has been considerable and has involved a combination of deft management skills, innovation and constant hard work. He is also prepared to 'muck in' where necessary and work shifts as a chef alongside pub colleagues.
Paul approached St Austell five years ago with a job spec and some ideas on food and the company. In short, he created a job specifically so that he could bring his food skills to bear and improve the offer for customers in a big way.
The Old Custom House at Padstow is an example of a pub which, while already a flagship within the estate, has been taken to the next level through its improved menu and additional facilities, including a beauty parlour.
Only a stone's throw away, the Shipwrights Arms, currently an ordinary 'bucket-and-spade' pub - is having a bistro installed upstairs - another testament to Paul's ability to argue for funds within his company.
Fresh produce from Devon and Cornwall forms the backbone of the pub's food. The emphasis is on uncomplicated, home-cooked, quality dishes which tourists and locals can enjoy.
Paul has registered his pubs with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs so they can buy fish directly from local fishing boats. Cornish bacon appears on the menu thanks to a deal with a farming co-operative. All eggs are free-range and Cornish. Chefs regularly meet producers as part of the sourcing process.
Recession-busting offers have included a Lunch Club deal for less than £5 and free accommodation when customers spent more than a certain amount on food. Food sales are up by eight per cent as a result.
Staff receive discounts and are encouraged to eat in the company's pubs. Spending £100,000 a year, they are often the harshest of critics. This is an important investment in the pub's quality control strategy. Mystery visits also highlight areas for improvement. Senior managers also conduct quality audits and customers are regularly asked where else they eat, apart from in St Austell's pubs.
The company's wet/dry turnover split is 50/50.