From creating homemade chutneys to supplying world leaders at the G7 summit, Jake Kendall and Abi Kendall-Hobbs, the couple who co-founded The Cornish Larder, are proof that big dreams can grow from small coastal kitchens. Jake shares their story with coast
I grew up on the Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall and have lived here all my life. Summers meant swims at Carne Beach; winters meant wind, waves and that damp, salty smell that seeps into everything.
My first proper job at 16 was in the kitchens at The Nare’s seafood restaurant overlooking Gerrans Bay. It taught me how to work hard, respect ingredients and stay calm when the orders stack up. But more than that, it taught me how deeply food and the sea are linked here. I learned the discipline of working hard doing something I love, but after 10 years as a chef, I wanted to explore new horizons.
The idea for The Cornish Larder started at Christmas. In 2017, my partner Abi and I gave homemade chutneys and jams as gifts. Our families loved them – and something clicked. We wanted to celebrate Cornwall through food – not just by sticking the name on a label, but by using local ingredients from the land and coast around us. Honey from a nearby beekeeper, beer from a small brewery, cider from St Ives. Everything had a story and we wanted to bottle that.
STARTING SMALL
In early 2018, we borrowed my parents’ kitchen, turned it into a mini production line and spent weekends selling what we made at the food markets in Truro, St Ives and Bodmin. Abi designed our first labels and I stirred the pans. On good days, we sold out by lunchtime; on bad ones, we barely covered the petrol. But every time someone said ‘this tastes like Cornwall’, it reminded us we were onto something.
The business grew steadily. We cooked during the week and pitched to farm shops and delis at weekends. When a major south-west food distributor agreed to carry our products, everything changed overnight. Suddenly our chutneys and relishes were travelling from Land’s End to Exeter. It was equal parts thrilling and terrifying. I was still cooking in my parents’ kitchen and lorries were reversing up the drive
to collect boxes!
We soon moved into our first small unit near Padstow, then crowdfunded to build a bigger base near home in Tregony. It was a huge leap – stainless steel counters, new equipment and our first staff members. By then, Abi had taken over the brand and sales side. She studied marine and natural history photography at Falmouth University, so she’s always had an eye for detail and light. Her creative approach gave our jars their look
and feel.
THE CALM OF THE SEA
The sea still runs through everything we do. When we hit a stressful patch, we walk the dog on Carne Beach or head up to the cliffs at Porthcurnick. Those walks help us make decisions. Cornwall has a way of keeping you grounded – one look at the ocean and you remember why you’re doing it.
One of our proudest moments came in 2021, when the Cabinet Office called. They wanted our Spiced Apple Chutney with St Ives Cider for the G7 Summit at Carbis Bay. It was surreal watching world leaders eat something we’d made on a hob at home. But it gave us confidence and the press coverage helped us grow faster than we ever expected. Around the same time, every product we entered in the Taste of the West Awards came back with golds and commendations. That was the moment we realised we’d built something real.
Today, we’re a team of five, making small batches of chutneys, jams and sauces that stay true to our roots. We still work with local suppliers and taste every batch ourselves. We’re not trying to become a giant brand – we just want to make food that tastes like the coast we love. Simple, fresh, honest.
BEST BY THE BEACH
Abi and I still work 10 minutes from the sea. After work, we’ll walk the dog down by the estuary or grab a swim when the weather’s right. Our conversations about the business often happen on the beach – ideas seem to land better with salt air and a bit of space. Cornwall gives you that balance: hard work, good food and the sea waiting at the end of the day.
Our goal has always been to grow without losing what makes it special – staying small enough to care, but strong enough to support others. Cornwall’s food scene thrives on collaboration and we’re proud to be part of that. The more we grow, the more local producers we can work with, from beekeepers and cider makers to small farms supplying fruit. Everyone knows each other and there’s a real sense of businesses helping businesses.
That community spirit runs deep here. When Abi had our baby, one of our biggest customers asked her to bring her along to the meeting because they wanted a cuddle. That’s Cornwall all over – relaxed, personal and built on genuine relationships.
It’s not just business down here – it’s a way of life. And we wouldn’t have it any other way. It reminds us why we started in the first place: to build a life that works around family, community and the coast we love.
For more information and to shop online, visit thecornishlarder.co.uk.
