Penzance will welcome a brand new training restaurant next summer, overseen by Cornish born Michelin starred chef Tom Brown.
Tom has joined forces with the Penzance Regeneration Company and Truro and Penwith College to create AG Brown, a new training restaurant inside Penzance's historic Market House.
Opening in summer 2027, the venture will give Penwith College hospitality students hands-on experience in a top-class restaurant environment, creating new opportunities for young people in West Cornwall.
Alongside the restaurant, the Market House will also host a street food hall featuring three kitchen pods designed for emerging local food businesses.
Credit: Penzance Town Council
The joint venture, located on the first floor of the Market House, aims to give promising hospitality students the chance to refine their culinary and front-of-house skills in a professional, supported setting, boosting their employment prospects and future earning potential.
Penwith College will be the restaurant's education partner, linking its hospitality programmes and apprenticeships directly to AG Brown. Students and graduates will gain high-quality experience in a live commercial environment through work placements, apprenticeships and employment, creating a clear route from college into rewarding careers.
Carl Riding, Principal of Truro and Penwith College, said: “This partnership will give our students an exceptional opportunity to learn in a professional restaurant, supported by experienced industry professionals. It connects education directly with employment, helping young people develop the skills, confidence and experience they need whilst supporting the future of West Cornwall’s hospitality sector.”
For Tom, the project is a chance to give back to the community that shaped his early career. Born and bred in Cornwall, he began his journey working in restaurants across the Duchy, training at the Kew Inn, working with Rick Stein in Padstow, and later meeting Nathan Outlaw.
Tom joined Nathan at the St Enodoc Hotel in Rock, rising quickly to head chef. After three years, he moved to London to lead Nathan Outlaw's restaurant at The Capital in Knightsbridge, which earned a Michelin star within a year.
Credit: Penzance Town Council
Now firmly established as one of the UK's leading chefs, Tom's connection to Cornwall remains strong. The new restaurant will be named AG Brown, after his father and fishing companion. Tom hopes to use his experience to help young people in the Duchy build successful careers in hospitality and ensure Cornwall continues to nurture exceptional talent.
Tom said: “I was lucky enough to have supportive people give me opportunities when I was starting out, and I know how important that first step can be. AG Brown is a chance for me to come home to Cornwall and help a new generation discover just how exciting and rewarding hospitality can be.
“I want the restaurant to be a place where students are properly supported but also challenged to be the very best they can be. There’s so much incredible produce, talent and potential in West Cornwall, and I want AG Brown to help showcase that.”
As part of the wider Market House project, PZRC is also transforming the old Market Hall at street level into a new street food hall, featuring three kitchen pods and a bar. The pods will be offered to innovative local food entrepreneurs, providing an affordable, supported space to develop ideas, build a customer base and gain vital experience before moving on to operate independently.
Chef Tom Brown to Open Training Restaurant in Penzance Market House