These days, The Hut on the Isle of Wight has become almost synonymous with British coastal dining of the most magical kind. From the lobster that fizzes with garlic butter to the rosé that twinkles in the afternoon light, a meal at this sun-soaked restaurant in Colwell Bay is a true pleasure.
At the heart of The Hut is a passion for simple yet delicious food, prepared using the finest, freshest regional produce. So it made perfect sense for us to partner on a menu of summer dishes, featuring showstopping seafood and plenty more. We caught up with Executive Chef Eoin Leonhard Godhavn Smith to find out why quality, seasonal produce is so important to The Hut – and how you can cook the very best seafood from the comfort of your own home.
Why is the quality of your ingredients so important?
For me, every great dish starts with the ingredients. If you don’t begin with exceptional produce, you’re never going to create the best possible dining experience.
Spending time with the Mindful Chef team, it was clear we share the same philosophy: great food doesn’t have to be complicated. When you start with fresh, quality ingredients, treat them with care and let them do the talking, the results speak for themselves. Our partnership with Mindful Chef gave us the opportunity to take the flavours and cooking style people know and love from The Hut and recreate them in a way that can be enjoyed at home.
How has seasonal sourcing affected your menu over the years?
We’re incredibly passionate about sourcing the very best produce we can. From hand-dived scallops from the waters between Orkney and the Western Isles to Scottish langoustines and beautiful Hebridean lobster, every ingredient is chosen because it deserves to be on the plate. We’re always looking to work with local growers if we can, celebrating British produce alongside the fantastic seafood we’re fortunate to have access to.
Seasonality is another huge part of how we cook. As the seasons change, so does our menu. We want our dishes to reflect what’s at its best, whether that’s lighter, fresher flavours during the summer or heartier ingredients later in the year.
What’s your favourite dish on the menu?
One of my favourite dishes on the menu right now is our Crab Salad. It’s fresh and light, making it perfect for a warm summer’s evening. We wanted to capture a little of this magic when creating our dishes for Mindful Chef. While you might not have Colwell Bay on your doorstep, you can still enjoy that relaxed, summer dining experience from your own garden or dining table.
Do you have any hacks or tips for cooking seafood at home?
People often ask me for seafood cooking tips, and my advice is always the same: keep it simple. The biggest mistake is overcooking it. Lobster, for example, only needs around eight to ten minutes. Cook it any longer and you’ll lose that beautiful texture. And if you really want to make it special, a little garlic butter with plenty of fresh parsley is hard to beat.
And finally, what’s the one thing you hope people will remember when leaving The Hut?
For me, great hospitality is about much more than what’s on the plate. I want people to leave The Hut remembering how they felt. That they were looked after, relaxed, and able to switch off for a while over really delicious food.
That’s what I hope people enjoy from our Mindful Chef collaboration too. Whether you’re joining us at The Hut or recreating one of our dishes at home, it’s about slowing down, sharing great food with the people around you and making the most of simple ingredients, cooked well. And if you happen to add a chilled glass of rosé – well, that’s even better.
The Mindful Chef x The Hut menu is live throughout July. Cook with The Hut now.