In conversation with Jill Stein

On receiving the Award for Special Contribution at the Trencherman’s Awards 2026, Jill Stein reflects on 50 years in hospitality, the evolution of Padstow and what matters most to her in a restaurant

‘Hospitality is theatre’ Jill Stein

The following transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

“We were two crazy people wanting to open a restaurant, which seemed like a good idea at the time! We didn’t have any training in hospitality, but we knew being in Padstow was going to work one day. It took a long time. It didn’t happen overnight, and we didn’t have any money. We had the building, and we built on that, really.

“And Padstow, 50 years ago, wasn’t like it is today. Like all towns, it was very quiet, but that gave us a chance to actually learn our craft. So we learnt on the job, and we were both amateurs but we threw everything into it and made it a success.

“I think the true success came once Rick got on TV. I think that put Padstow on the map. But before then it was a very quiet little fishing town. The posh bit was over the river at Rock. I think television was the big change in our business. We started to get recognized then.”

Jill, what matters most to you in a restaurant?

“Well, of course, it’s the food, but it’s also the ambience. I always say that you can have the most amazing food in a really boring restaurant, and it doesn’t work – and vice versa. It’s really important to have both. You’ve got to make it a place where people are going to have fun, where they’re going to enjoy eating, and they’re going to enjoy the atmosphere and the environment.

“At The Seafood [Restaurant], we’ve got a bar in the middle and that’s the theatre. I think it’s really important to have a focal point in a restaurant, instead of just a square room, so you’ve got some activity.

“And I always say that hospitality is theatre!”

Aside from your own, what restaurant do you like to recommend to friends?

I like Paul Ainsworth’s restaurant in Padstow: Rojano’s. Also there’s a new one opened over at Rock called Four Boys, and that is really good. I hope they do really well, and I’m sure they will. It’s the next generation, you know, the younger generation. The food is amazing. There’s Paul Ainsworth’s pub at Rock as well. So those places I would highly recommend.”

Thank you so much.

Jill Stein OBE received the Award for Special Contribution at the Trencherman’s Awards 2026. As co-founder of The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow, her influence on hospitality in the South West has been lasting – helping to shape both a place and a style of dining that’s rooted in the coast. On the announcement of her win, Jill received a standing ovation – a moment of recognition for her 50 years in hospitality from a room filled with hospitality colleagues.

Through her interior design and brand development work, Jill has been, and remains, pivotal in the success and growth of the Stein family restaurant group, from the single restaurant she and Rick started in Padstow to the world-renowned business it is today.