Greetings from Peter, Owner & Head Chef
My family and I welcome you to Pier Head, our family run bistro- style restaurant since 2021. We strongly believe in ensuring a delightful dining experience by using only the finest quality of fresh food and seafood cooked and served well in a friendly & relaxed atmosphere.
Working Background
I have been a chef all my working life having attended Brockenhurst College, Hants in the late 1980’s, qualifying in catering and hospitality. I moved to London to work for several years with Anton Mosimann in his dining club. Thereafter at The Four Seasons Hotel, The Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland then to Switzerland working in five-star hotels. Later, I returned to London working again for Anton Mosimann in his catering sector with events at Downing Street, The Houses of Parliament, Highgrove, St James Palace as well as Switzerland and USA.
After a spell of global travelling and cooking, I achieved my first head chef job at the beautiful country house Highclere Castle in Berkshire owned by Lord and Lady Carnarvon (now famously known as TV’s Downton Abbey) catering in fine dining as well as frequent weddings. It was here that I also had the privilege of cooking for our late Queen Elizabeth II, a guest of the house on several occasions.
In my thirties, I met my wife Emma and we worked together as a country couple, working for a prestigious family in their home in the heart of Gloucestershire, whilst raising our two daughters. It was the ideal stepping-stone to then become a freelance chef, travelling the country for many prestigious clients, honoured again that whilst working in Northumberland I cooked for Prince William.
Pier Head Restaurant
Having visited Swanage, Dorset for many years as a young boy and with family ties, in 2021 it was an easy decision for me to make a final move with my family to this lovely coastal town and start this restaurant that came to me by chance. Luckily my wife and my daughters have supported me all the way and have excelled at Front of House so everyday I can enjoy and energise with my experience into creating fresh, tasty, honest food. I especially love fish and seafood.
Gratefully, our reputation has grown and we are often praised on the quality and taste of many of our seafood dishes; we serve locally caught fish and scallops landed that day from our Dorset coastline, South Coast Mussels, Portland Crab as well as other fresh fish & oysters selected by us that morning from our most trusted fisheries.
You can enjoy meals from our Pier Head classics, from our daily changing specials menu, or our fish board that reflects the fish that are in abundance and produce that is at its best. Our pre-ordered Seafood Platters are highly recommended for total seafood indulgence.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Peter and Emma (and daughters Sydney & Lila)
This recent development replaced the former Pier Head area which had stood derelect for a number of years. The images below show the building as it stood before, together with some very realistic artwork, painted directly on to the walls.
