Sevens

Fans of Kevin Viner, the first chef to win a Michelin star for a restaurant in Cornwall (Pennypots, which closed three years ago), will be pleased to know that he's once again heading up a fine-dining operation in the county - in Truro. This follows a lengthy stint in London doing consultancy for Nesco Foods and project management for contract catering giant Compass.

Sevens, a 38-seat restaurant in Truro city centre, opened six weeks ago and has rapidly found a following. It's already full for most dinner services (it's open every evening from Tuesday to Saturday) and is about half-full on its midweek lunch service (it currently opens during the day Wednesday, Thursday and Friday).

"It's been a really moving experience for me because it's been just like reopening the doors of Pennypots - all my old customers are coming here to eat," says Viner. "They're pouring in and are saying they've really missed my food over the past few years."

Diners have two of Viner's former Pennypots customers to thank for getting him back into the kitchen. "I'd been looking for my own premises in Cornwall for ages," he says, "and wanted to open a small hotel in Truro. Then David and Jane White, who used to be regulars of mine, approached me and asked if I would oversee Café Citron, their 100-seat brasserie in Truro, as well as opening a fine-dining restaurant for them."

Hence the birth of Sevens. So, what's Viner offering on the menu? Supported by three other chefs in the kitchen, he's putting out a listing of five starters, five mains and five desserts, plus cheese. Two courses from this cost £29, while three cost £36, which also includes an amuse-bouche and a pre-dessert.

Starters are currently selling fairly evenly, though Viner says the saut‚d foie gras and scallops with a Gewürtztraminer jus (£5 supplement) is probably slightly ahead in the popularity stakes. "I'm pleased about that because that was one of the dishes I did for the semi-final of National Chef of the Year in 1998, when I won the competition. It's sort of stayed with me since then."

The current top-selling main course is a roast fillet of venison with a prune and Armagnac jus, while bread-and-butter pudding served with clotted cream and an apricot-and-vanilla-flavoured ice-cream is the most popular dessert, closely followed by warm chocolate fondant with a confit of oranges and Amaretto-flavoured ice-cream. "We're going to a lot of trouble with our desserts - I used to be a pastry chef," explains Viner.

Looking ahead, Viner admits he would love Sevens to win a Michelin star, although he's in no hurry. "I think this will be where I cook for a long time - even if I do a few other projects on the side. As long as our customers love what we're doing, then I'm happy."

Sevens, 77 Lemon Street, Truro, Cornwall TR1 2PN.
Tel: 01872 275767;
www.sevenstruro.co.uk.
Chef's cheat
"I've seen lots of chefs struggle with making sugar cages when I've been judging competitions," says Viner. "The trick is to put a little bit of olive oil on the ladle before you pour the liquid sugar on to it - it helps the sugar to set on the ladle. Also, don't use a cold ladle because the sugar will set too fast and slip off - make sure the ladle is lukewarm."

What's on the menu
Two courses for £29; three for £36, including amuse-bouche and pre-dessert
* A compression of smoked red mullet, salmon and chargrilled vegetables with a herb dressing
* Poached oysters with caviar and a Champagne beurre blanc (£5 supplement)
* Warm salad of quail, celeriac and apple with a caper and hazelnut dressing
* A duo of grilled duck breast and confit duck leg with a port wine jus
* Grilled fillet of beef with foie gras and a morel mushroom and Madeira jus (£5 supplement)
* Steamed fillet of sea bass in a saffron velout‚ with mussels
* A raspberry shortbread with Grand Marnier-flavoured ice-cream and a raspberry and Kirsch coulis
* Tropical fruits marinated in a lime syrup with a medley of sorbets
* Classic lemon tart