‘It’s bittersweet’: Dan Cox closes Crocadon restaurant in Cornwall

Chef Dan Cox has closed his Michelin-starred Crocadon restaurant in Cornwall after just under three years of trading.

In an email to subscribers, the 2008 Roux Scholar said he was shifting his focus to new projects and collaborations.

Cox, the former executive chef at Simon Rogan’s Fera at Claridge’s, took over Crocadon Farm in St Mellion in 2017 and launched the restaurant in 2023.

“Over the past eight years we’ve worked hard to build something that benefits the land, our team and the people who dine here,” said Cox.

“I’m especially grateful to the team, whose commitment, passion and creativity made Crocadon what it was.

“As one season ends, another begins – and while it’s bittersweet to close Crocadon, I’m excited for what comes next: new ideas, collaborations and the chance to share everything we’ve learned.”

Crocadon restaurant was known for its sustainable and self-sufficient approach, serving organic ingredients grown or reared on-site or within a 30-mile radius.

It won a Michelin green star within weeks of opening and a Michelin star the following year.

The 120-acre Crocadon Farm will continue to operate under new stewardship following the restaurant closure.

“Crocadon has always been about learning through doing,” said Cox. “We’ve made mistakes, we’ve learned and we’ve grown. The restaurant was one part of a bigger story – about what food can be when you care for the soil, the animals and the people equally.”

Cox won the Roux Scholarship in 2008 and undertook a stage at three-Michelin-starred Can Fabes near Barcelona, where he was inspired by its garden-to-plate ethos. 

He went on to spend seven years working for the Simon Rogan Group, helping to establish the Aulis restaurant and Our Farm at L’Enclume in Cumbria, before joining Fera at Claridge’s, which won a Michelin star within three months of opening.