Every year, The English Riviera celebrates it's status as England's Seafood Coast with England’s Seafood FEAST. So we're getting to know some of the fantastic seafood chefs around the Bay, and sharing some of their favourite recipes with you.

Today, we say hello to Barry George, Head Chef at Cantina Kitchen in Paignton.

Becoming a chef by the beach in Paignton

Barry always wanted to run a cafe, and so in 2016, he came to Paignton and setup Cantina Kitchen with his sister-in-law Kate. Before that, he took his first kitchen job while at school as a kitchen porter in a country hotel and loved the environment and people he worked with. He eventually worked his way up through the kitchen and completed college to become a professional chef. Before joining Cantina he was a successful head chef and restaurateur. He has also cooked privately for celebrities, food critics, magazine editors and also (somehow!) managed a 200 cover pop-up backstage VIP restaurant at Glastonbury.

Barry says he absolutely loves seafood, but when cooking it, you don’t always need to over do it. He loves fish cooked quite simply so you get the fresh sea taste from the fish, without overdoing it with too many sauces and flavours.

When he’s not in the kitchen, he loves to get in the water and go sea swimming, anywhere in the bay!

Freshly shucked Devon oysters

Ingredients

4 x Oysters shucked

For batter

• 100gr plain flour

• 100gr corn flour

• 1/4 tsp miso

• 10gr Baking flour

• Soda water

• 4 x ice cubes

For Slaw

• handful of  white cabbage

• handful of red cabbage

• handful of celeriac

• 1 x carrot

• 2 x radishes

• 1/2 a red onion

For Asian dressing

• 4 x fl oz  Olive oil

• 1 x small bulb of ginger

• 1 x tsp of sesame oil

• 1 1/2 x tsp of soya sauce

• 4 x fl oz Chinese rice vinegar

• 1 x clove garlic

• 1 x tbsp Honey

• 1 x tbsp of fish sauce

Method

Pre-heat a deep fat fryer to 180c

For batter

Mix together in a bowl, the plain flour, corn flour, baking powder, miso. Slowly add Soda water until you have the consistency of double cream. Add ice cubes and leave to rest.

For Asian Dressing

Grate ginger and garlic into a small jar then add the rest of the ingredients and shake well until all mixed together. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for later use.

For the slaw

Thinly slice all of the vegetables and mix together and dress with Asian dressing.

To cook oysters

Roll them in seasoned Flour and then into the batter and fry until golden brown all over. Remove the oyster and place on top of your dressed slaw.