If there is one thing we keep coming back to again and again in this, the strangest of times, it is the fact that necessity really is the mother of invention. Or, in this case, re-invention. Because this is the story of one of the most talented chefs in the West Country, who has reinvented himself as a fish-and-chip shop proprietor.

When I first met Ross Sloan in 2019, he was head chef at the lovely Mount Haven Hotel in Marazion where he was turning out some of the most remarkable food west of the Tamar. Now our photograph (taken by Sam Breeze) shows him standing in front of Landed, his Cornish takeaway, eight miles to the east, in Porthleven where he is still turning out the most remarkable dishes.

Arguably, the most remarkable dishes of any takeaway businesses in the entire South West…

Cornish pork and Newlyn crab taco anyone? How about an octopus and squid ink tostado? Or sea-bass ceviche? No? Perhaps you fancy something more traditional on the classic chip-shop menu? Then why not go for battered pollack and chips - or, even better, buttermilk fried monkfish with chipotle mayo? And if you’re visiting a chippy which is so much more than a fish-n-chip shop, why not try the brown crab mayo and Wookey Hole cheddar dirty fries?

At this point I’d better make two things clear. This is lockdown, so I have not been 150 miles south west of my Exmoor home to test the food at Landed, in Porthleven.

But I did sample the food at the Mount Haven 18 months ago when I spent a morning in the kitchen talking to Ross, so: a) I trust the quality of this output merely by seeing the menus and photographs of the food - and b) his is typical of the transformative stories we are seeing at this unusual time and that we’ll continue to hear about into the future.

This is the tale of young Mr Sloan’s past year-and-a-half, told in his own words… “When we were talking at the Mount Haven, just over a year and half ago, would you have ever thought you’d see me running a fish and chip takeaway shop? Because I didn’t!

“Landed happened through fate and through seeing a need - and wanting to fill that need. And fate, being what it is… Not only do I now have almost my entire kitchen team from the Mount Haven with me, I am hopefully doing my bit to help and support local fisherman, farmers, my loyal staff and my perhaps ego!
“And we LOVE it!
“Leaving the hotel was one of the hardest things I have done in my career. I found myself at a crossroads in my life, so decided to take a break to figure out the next step in my career.

Crushed hen’s eggs, smoked chalk stream trout, spider crab, herring roe

“I started working for my best friend Ferg, at Ann’s Pasties to help with the creative side of things. Not so long into the job, the pandemic hit and we all went into lockdown. Everything came to a halt and we were operating with a skeleton crew. I went from being creative everyday, to production line crimping - and I started to feel bored. So I began a series of weekly pop-up takeaways with close friend Kelvin Batt, which we ran through his business, the Mussel Shoal in Porthleven. This took me back to getting creative and excited about what I was doing.

“I was producing fun dishes and being creative with humble everyday food that we all know and love. At the same time, my fisherman friends were struggling now that the hospitality industry had come to a standstill.

“After a few weeks, something clicked… I realised I could remove the stress of a restaurant kitchen and the high expectations of fine dining, yet still offer amazing food.

“Then a takeaway premises in Porthleven became available - and I thought to myself: why can’t I do the pop-ups from one place? I’d spent a long time doing research and it hit me that fish and chips are quintessentially British - yet, in so many respects, we were getting it all wrong. For example: as a seafaring nation, why is it that 80 percent of British fish and chip shops are using frozen Icelandic cod? Does no one remember the Cod Wars?

“And for a country that voted Brexit, what about the fact that 80 percent of the fish consumed in this country is imported - while 80 percent of fish caught in this country is exported?

“And so Landed was born with three friends in the time of Covid - with a desire to change the ethos of our fish and chip shops. We we want to set an example - developing a classic British fish and chip chop that uses our local, British, produce.

“We offer fun, creative and delicious dishes, while supporting the local community. Hopefully’ we’re making fish and chips something to be proud of. It’s been no easy task - we opened during a pandemic with no money, yet we are still here trying to push through these hard times. During the second lockdown we even started doing weekly theme nights. You might ask: what takeaway offers theme nights?

“Well, they have kept us going through these troubled times and they give us the opportunity the trial and show customers the variety we can offer when all this is over.”

I don’t know about you, but I find this to be an exceptional and inspirational story. I will certainly be calling at Landed for a portion of Cornwall’s finest next time I’m able to cross the Tamar. In the meantime I will be trying at one of Mr Sloan’s amazing recipes at home…

Devilled native oysters with crushed hen’s egg

The Seadog Bao - Landed’s take on the classic hot dog and fish finger sandwich in a Chinese bao bun.

Serves 4

Boa bun

Ingredients – makes 12

1 tbsp + 1 tsp dried yeast

1050g strong bread flour

6 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp milk powder

1 tbsp salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/3 cup of oil

Pickled Cucumber

1 cucumber peeled and deseeded

600ml water

400ml white wine vinegar

200g sugar

Pinch of salt

Fish Dog

4 x 125g white fish goujouns – we often use ling or salted hake

Breadcrumbs – enough to coat each gougon

Plain flour – enough to coat each gougon

4 x eggs (whisked with a little water)

Mustard Mayo

200g mayonnaise

English + Dijon mustard – to taste

Tartar Sauce

1 tbsp diced capers

1 tbsp diced gherkins

1 tbsp dropped dill

3 tbsp mayonnaise

Squeeze of lemon juice

Additional ingredients

1 baby gem lettuce – shredded

200g cheddar cheese – grated

Sea lettuce or dulse powder (optional)

METHODS

Bao bun

Mix yeast with 375ml water - add all dry ingredients and the seaweed powders (optional) and knead together and prove until it has doubled in size. Divide in 12 and roll into finger shape. Place onto baking parchment and prove again for half an hour.

Steam with the bun on the baking parchment for 8 minutes.

Pickled cucumber

Bring all ingredients to the boil in a pan until sugar and salt has dissolved.

Leave to cool. Add the slice cucumber to the liquid.

Fish dogs

In separate trays add flour, eggs and breadcrumbs. Coat the fish goujons in the flour first, then eggs and breadcrumbs. Repeat this process, skipping the flour this time so to have a double layer of bread crumbs. Deep fry at 180 c until golden.

Mustard mayo

Whisk all ingredients together to taste. Place in a piping bag or squeeze bottle.

Tartare sauce

Mix all the ingredients together season to taste then combine the mix with the shredded lettuce.

Assembly

With a knife make an insertion along the length in the middle of the bao bun. Making sure to not cut all the way through. Place the lettuce and the tartar mix in first, followed by the grated cheese. Add the fish dog and top with mustard mayo and pickled cucumber.

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Feb 12 New Seafood Takeaway in Cornwall - Landed

The Seadog Bao - Landed’s take on the classic hot dog and fish finger sandwich in a Chinese bao bun.