The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2024 - Issue 35

Jada Brookes discovers The Beacon’s history and its extraordinary head chef, Scott Goss, who leads the kitchen at the Hearth Restaurant. biterestaurant His first experience in professional cooking was at a summer job he obtained through his uncle in Dart- ford, which piqued his interest. “In all honesty, I was young and needed a job, and the great Peter Barrow inspired me to be a chef,” he said. “My passion for food began in the family home; family dinners sat around the table, and it wasn’t until much later in my career that I could enjoy it. When working your way up, you are just [consistently] working, especially be- ing a commis chef.” After studying at catering college, Scott worked in the capital’s Gary Rhodes restaurants. “It was amazing to work in London and with the late great Gary,” he said of the restaurateur and television chef who died in 2019. “His food looked effortless and simple, but it was incredibly difficult to cook. He would never add unnecessary garnishes or smears on plates.” Scott ex- celled in the kitchen at City Rhodes and Rhodes in the Square, mastering classical cooking and French techniques. He also worked with Anton Edelmann at Allium for a year, which he said had the same high standard but a different cooking style, before returning to help Gary set up a new restaurant. At the Swan Wine Kitchen in Tenterden, Scott was chef de partie for three years before becoming head chef at 25. The 2AA Rosette 80-cover family-friendly restaurant boasts a private- ly roomed Chef ’s Table and terrace dining, serving sparkling and still wines from Chapel Down. The Beacon Garden Kitchen