More Than What’s on the Plate: with Scott Paton at Àclèaf, Boringdon Hall

8 January 2026

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At Àclèaf, meals are designed to spark conversation. Sometimes about the food. Sometimes about everything else.

Head Chef Scott Paton believes great dining is as much about how people feel as what they eat. His approach encourages guests to slow down, lean in and share the moment, with dishes that complement the experience rather than dominate it.

Congratulations on winning PoB Hotels Restaurant of the Year. It’s a remarkable recognition of your team’s hard work. When guests dine at Àclèaf, how do you hope they feel from the moment they sit down to the moment they leave?

Well, I hope our guests feel fulfilled, not full, in their hearts and soul. I hope we’ve provided a platform for our guests to reconnect, make valuable memories and have evoked meaningful connections and conversations; we try really hard to introduce small "ice breakers" through the meal to engage our guests and continue the conversation through. Àclèaf is a representation of how I’d like to feel when enjoying a good meal with loved ones.

You’ve known since a young age that you wanted to make people smile through food, what was the moment when that passion truly clicked into a profession for you?

I was always the class clown — making people laugh or smile was all the motivation I needed. That’s stayed with me, even as I’ve become more focused in my work.

Your dishes are renowned for their innovation and precision. Can you talk us through how a new dish is born at Àclèaf—from concept to plate?

Conversations. Talking about food with passionate people always leads to our best dishes.

Is there a dish you’ve created that holds personal significance or a memory from your journey as a chef?

That’s hard to say for sure, I think the entire story of Àclèaf is the journey, each dish evolves with the seasons, so the journey is constant.

Step inside Àclèaf, Boringdon Hall

You champion locally sourced Devonshire ingredients. What’s one ingredient from the region that continues to excite you, and how do you like to work with it?

We love Curtis Pitts venison especially this time of year, he manages the herds around the grounds and has such a level of respect for the beasts and his craft.

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