Falmouth’s Gylly Beach to carve up one giant Cornish tuna

Fifty places at the table, one enormous fish, and a view straight out to the Atlantic. That’s the whole idea behind Gylly Beach‘s next event, where a whole Cornish tuna is cut in front of diners before it becomes a seven-plate tasting menu.

A banquet built around one fish

On Friday 18 September, the beachfront venue in Falmouth hosts “A Celebration of Cornish Tuna”, an intimate banquet built entirely around a spectacular line-caught catch. Just 50 guests will get to follow the fish’s whole journey from whole tuna to finished plate, starting with a live cutting demonstration and finishing with a specially created menu looking straight out over the water.

Ben Dawson, General Manager at Gylly Beach, said there’s something incredibly special about being able to celebrate a fish caught in Cornwall while sitting just metres from the Atlantic. “We want guests to experience much more than a meal, they’ll see the skill that goes into preparing the tuna, learn about the different cuts and then taste how Sam and the kitchen team bring them to life. With only 50 people around the table, it should be a really memorable evening.”

Tom Jonik takes centre stage with the knife

The evening opens with a welcome drink before renowned Cornish fishmonger Tom Jonik steps up to ceremonially cut the tuna in front of the diners. Guests will hear about the fish’s provenance, the skill involved in breaking it down, and the different cuts and flavours it produces.

Sam Blackburn’s seven plates

Gylly Beach Head Chef Sam Blackburn then turns those cuts into a series of seven tasting plates, showing off the fish’s versatility and quality alongside seasonal produce sourced from some of Cornwall’s leading suppliers.

Sam brings more than 20 years of experience to the kitchen and a stated passion for fresh, seasonal ingredients and cooking with integrity. Tom, for his part, is well known across Cornwall for his knowledge of seafood and his precision as a fishmonger.

Gylly Beach is part of the Healeys family, which shares a passion for celebrating the best of Cornwall’s food, drink and local produce.

Laura Clerehugh, Hospitality Director at Healeys, said Cornwall produces some of the most incredible food in the country and that this evening is about celebrating it right at its source. “Line-caught Cornish tuna is something genuinely special, and bringing together Tom’s knowledge and craftsmanship with Sam’s creativity gives people a rare opportunity to experience it in a completely different way. Add Gylly’s ocean backdrop and the shared banquet setting, and we think this will be a remarkable night.”

Tickets for A Celebration of Cornish Tuna

“A Celebration of Cornish Tuna” takes place at Gylly Beach on Friday 18 September. Tickets are £75 per person and strictly limited to 50 guests, with each one covering a welcome drink, the ceremonial tuna cutting and tasting experience, seven tasting plates and dessert.

Among those seven plates is one hero dish built entirely around the tuna, before dessert closes out the night.