Adam Handling ‘Gunning For A Michelin Star’ With Ugly Butterfly 2.0
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6 hours ago
The chef's Cornish eco-restaurant is back in a new location
Adam Handling was practising zero-waste dining long before it was in vogue. The Scottish chef is known for creating high-end restaurants which don’t compromise when it comes to the planet, the latest being a revamped version of his Cornish outpost, Ugly Butterfly. Initially opened in Carbis Bay in 2021, the restaurant closed earlier this year, but now it’s back in a brand-new location: Newquay.
What To Expect From Ugly Butterfly 2.0
Ugly Butterfly 2.0 has reopened within five-star, family-owned hotel The Headland, which is located beside Fistral Beach. ‘With our Ugly Butterfly family coming back fighting and our elevated menu offering, we’ll be gunning for a Michelin star at Ugly Butterfly 2.0 and there’s no better place for us to be when shooting for it,’ says Handling.
As with all his venues, the menu is dictated by the seasons, here spotlighting the best of Cornish produce. Right now, diners can enjoy starters of bluefin tuna with preserved truffles and elderflower, cured mackerel with radish, and a curious creation called ‘Mother’, which features celeriac, dates and egg yolk.
Next up, the ‘Middle’ section includes the likes of venison ravioli and lobster wagyu, followed by mains of BBQ turnip with green chilli and grapes, wild bass with courgette, and Cornish hen with hispi cabbage and hen of the woods. For dessert, there’s tarte tatin made tableside, and ‘Nitro Tiramisu’, made with spent coffee and chocolate husk.
On the drinks side, the champagne trolley is sure to be a highlight, featuring an array of styles of fizz including Handling’s favourite pour: Krug Grande Cuvée, which is on offer for £38 a glass or £228 a bottle (typically it’s double the price in restaurants). Alongside this, the restaurant offers one of the most extensive wine lists in the whole of Cornwall.
There’s also a terrace area where guests can enjoy fresh seafood al fresco. Tuck into fish and chips paired with a glass of champagne for Handling’s twist on the seaside classic, or enjoy snacks of Porthilly oysters, lobster and crab cocktails or hash browns with caviar.
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Ugly Butterfly 2.0 also serves afternoon tea, split into four courses: snacks, savouries, sweets and scones. Kick things off with snacks of lamb tartare and wild garlic capers, ahead of St Ives smoked salmon finger sandwiches and sausage rolls. This will be followed by treats like lemon cheesecake, and strawberries and cream tart, alongside scones served with Rodda’s clotted cream and plum jam. The menu also has a section on provenance, outlining where all the produce comes from – Cornhill eggs, for instance, and plums from the shores of the river Fal.
The Cornish spirit will be reflected in the interiors too, with a mural from local artist Olly Owe, and a colour palette of soft pink and pale green tones, with dried flowers and glowing table lamps. ‘We’re really letting the natural surroundings take the lead – from the seasonal ingredients on the menu to how we’ve designed the space,’ he says. ‘Even the sunsets you can see from every window have played a part in shaping the look and feel of the place.’
Handling started his career working at Gleneagles, working his way up the ranks and going on to become the youngest ever head chef at esteemed hotel Fairmont St Andrews. Over the years he has opened a string of his own restaurants, including The Loch & The Tyne in Old Windsor, Frog by Adam Handling in Covent Garden, London, and The Tartan Fox in Cornwall.
Celebrating British produce sits at the heart of them all, with the teams constantly experimenting to see how they can make the most of each ingredient. A lot of the produce for the menus is foraged locally, and snacks are made using offcuts from other dishes – which also go towards making garnishes for cocktails.
Ugly Butterfly 2.0 is located at The Headland, Fistral Beach, Headland Road, Newquay TR7 1EW. Book at uglybutterfly.co.uk
