Ben Palmer
Growing up in Looe, surrounded by tourism and restaurants, Ben was inspired to become a chef.
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He used to mackerel fish outside The Sardine Factory (his now restaurant) and saw boats coming in daily with huge fresh hauls.
Ben had an interest in local Provence and fresh local ingredients from a young age, and was also directly influenced by his mother who was an amazing home cook, and his father who was a local gamekeeper.
Having worked in Plymouth with the Tanner brothers and done stages with Tom Kerridge and Gordan Ramsay, his skills have been crafted at the highest level. Not afraid of a competition, Ben got to the quarter finals of MasterChef the Professionals in 2011, so he know what it takes to succeed in competitions.
Ben opened The Sardine Factory in 2018, and received a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2019, having retained it ever since. The restaurant used to be an old sardine factory, which Ben remembers as a child when it was used as fisherman’s stores. It was his dream to open a restaurant in his hometown, and when the opportunity arose to have a restaurant in the building, Ben jumped at the chance.
Ben’s cooking style is heavily influenced by where he is in the world, drawing inspiration from the sea, and respecting the local South West produce.
His menu reflects his love of local produce, and celebrates the Olympic flame arriving in Cornwall in 2012, from Olympia, as well as South West diving legend Tom Daley.
