Early morning you will find Jonathan Mather in the kitchen garden deep in conversation with Nigel the gardener.
‘There is nothing better than knowing that the essential ingredients of a recipe have been grown here and picked on the day,’ he says.
The restaurant sits in the middle of the vineyard’s activities and has become a central part of the estate thanks in no small part to Jonathan who both planned and is head chef of the enterprise.
Set in South Devon’s Witchcombe valley, its south facing slopes and free draining soil create a perfect microclimate for wine production.
‘As soon as we saw Calancombe we knew it was the place for us,’ says Lance. ‘With a history dating back to the 16th century, I hope we are putting back life and love into the soil.’
Whilst Jonathan stayed within hospitality, his career took him away from Devon for many years – where he rose to become part of the senior management team for a number of hospitality corporations. Perhaps the best for him was working for Loch Fyne restaurants – then one of the most successful restaurant companies in the UK. Jonathan had responsibility for their Bath restaurant and hotel – one of the top 10 in the country.
It was during this time that he met his future partner, Sally, also working in hospitality. ‘We both came from South Devon and we just clicked from the start,’ he says. After a few years and now living in Bristol, they decided - for their health and wellbeing - they needed to return to the South West. ‘We always held Devon in our hearts and our move was very much a homing instinct.’
Returning to Devon, Sally, Jonathan and their two dogs moved to Bantham where they have lovingly restored Sally’s family home. Whilst Sally established a recruitment business focusing on catering, Jonathan used his skills to turn around failing restaurants.
‘It was what I knew I could do well,’ he says. He also started working for Hugh Millar, chef at Thurlestone Hotel. ‘This was a turning point,’ explains Jonathan. ‘Hugh is a wonderful chef, who worked on the QE2 travelling the world and understands how to bring out the best flavours of his food. Also, he is a team player and he ran the kitchen from the back rather than the front which made for a happy team and great food.’
‘When I first saw the restaurant building – spacious with light streaming through large windows – I knew we had something special,’ says Jonathan. At the start it was all about brunch following a vineyard tour – asparagus, rocket, cheeses. ‘People enjoyed it, but we knew we could do more and we wanted to do more.’
Jonathan plans menus months in advance and having worked with Nick Harris before and with Nick sharing the same vision, Nick has joined Jonathan in the kitchen and is integral to the planning. ‘To make this work we need to work together,’ Jonathan says. ‘We work closely with Nigel so I know what will be in season in the garden and of course with Caroline and Lance on the wine side. And Caroline’s pallet is exceptional. Every new dish I test out with her – I may not like all her comments, but she is usually spot on.’
‘This is a most wonderful ham that has been cured for four years and is unmatchable in taste and flavour – so I chose it for our menu as it pairs perfectly with Calancombe’s pinot noir rosé.’
When it comes to the cheese trolley (a feast for the eyes) the selection remains firmly in the South West. ‘There are so many perfect cheeses around us that there is no need to look elsewhere,’ he says.
Today, the restaurant looks very different. ‘We have matured,’ says Jonathan. ‘We know where we are and where we want to go. We are not simply a nice menu as part of a wine tour – as good as that might be. We are a destination restaurant where food is both beautiful and delicious – I call it making magic.’
Jonathan has no regrets about moving back to his home county. ‘You could not get much better than living by the sea as well as being part of Calancombe and its evolution.’
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