Padstow welcomes Malcolm Barnecutt
Looking sharp!! Malcolm Barnecutt on a bright March day.
For those who have visited Padstow before, the Chough Bakery was a decades-old landmark within the town and a standout place to get an award-winning pasty. This year has seen a significant change as Malcolm Barnecutt has found a new home at the site of this iconic Padstow bakery. Malcom Barnecutt is a long-established, family-run Cornish-based business which was founded in the 1930s and Padstow is it’s thirteenth location. Also, interestingly, this is not the first time the Barnecutt family have operated a bakery in Padstow with Malcolm’s father opening a bakery in Padstow in the early 1950s, which moved to Wadebridge soon after. While it’s understandable that fans of the Chough Bakery may be fearful of this change, I am happy to say that under the new ownership it’s still one of the best places in Padstow to get a pasty.
For those not in the know, a Cornish pasty is a traditional baked pastry from Cornwall in South West of England, shaped like a half-moon with a thick crimped edge. It’s typically filled with simple, hearty ingredients; beef, potato, swede, and onion, which are placed inside raw so they cook together as the pasty bakes, creating a rich, savoury filling. The sturdy pastry was originally designed for practicality, especially for Cornish tin miners, who could hold the crimped edge with dirty hands and discard it afterward. Today, authentic Cornish pasties are protected by law, meaning they must be made in Cornwall and follow the traditional recipe, though many variations exist elsewhere. Overall, it’s best thought of as a comforting, self-contained meal with deep roots in working-class history and regional identity.
A large traditional pasty. Delicious!!
So, the question you’ll understandably have is how good are the pasties at the new Malcolm Barnecutt in Padstow. Well, having tried a large traditional pasty recently, I can say it is a very good rendition of this classic pastry that compares very well to The Chough’s version. While I’m yet to try their take of my personal favourite, which contains blue cheese in addition to the traditional fillings (and which I’m delighted to see on the menu), I would definitely recommend it. The pasty is light and flavourful with a generous filling, and the meat is great quality. Their range of sizes is also impressive, so there’s something to suit a variety of appetites, from just sort of hungry to absolutely ravenous. Malcolm Barnecutt’s large traditional pasty can easily be shared between two people, and at £5.85, whether you share it or not, it’s good value for money.
Padstow Harbour. The Perfect place for a pasty! Mind out for seagulls!
Stepping into the bakery there still remains a sense of familiarity. Perhaps more importantly, it seems that at least the majority of the staff have been kept on by the new owners, which is something that’s great to see. So, while it will be a while before I stop accidentally calling it ‘The Chough’, it seems as though this has been a smooth transition that has retained much of what made the Chough Bakery great. Therefore, I’d still heartily recommend it and wish the new owners and all of the staff the best of luck.
