OPENS 2 AUGUST 2021
Following a pop up in London’s Chelsea neighbourhood, chef Adam Handling’s Ugly Butterfly concept has now flown over to Cornwall, settling in at the luxury Carbis Bay Estate.
Just a mile from St Ives, the restaurant boasts a stunning coastal setting, offering diners spectacular views across one of the world’s most beautiful bays, including the Estate’s private beach and promenade. The dining room features floor-to-ceiling windows which flood the space with natural daylight and allow the views to do the talking, while dried flowers hanging from the ceiling and a gorgeous bespoke mural splashed across one wall add some character. There is also an open kitchen, a signature of Handling’s restaurants, so that guests can watch the chefs at work.
Ugly Butterfly gets its name from the idea that there is no such thing as an unattractive butterfly, much in the same sense that Handling wants to prove there is no such thing as food waste. His restaurant group, which includes The Frog in Covent Garden and a fine-dining outfit at the Cadogan hotel in Chelsea, is committed to sustainability as a whole.
Open all day, Ugly Butterfly’s menu is underpinned by produce sourced from local suppliers, as well as some foraged ingredients, thereby cutting down on ‘food miles’. Expect to discover hyper-local ingredients such as fish from Harlyn Bay, Portilly Oysters, razor clams from the Hale Estuary, Cornish sea buckthorn, Cornish Gouda, and Saint Ewe eggs. Another way in which the restaurant proves its sustainability credentials is by using trim and offcuts from ingredients used in the kitchen in order to make cocktails and snacks for the venue’s bar.
Speaking about the opening, Handling said: “Everything we do at our restaurants and bars is based on the location and surroundings. It’s super important to me to support the local suppliers and Carbis Bay has a beautiful seaside and rural setting, so we’ll be using more of the seafood and foraged ingredients that the area is well-known for.”