"It’s my job to inspire and value people.” Paul Ainsworth on building a successful team and the simple love of food

“I had a sort of a health checkup about three years ago and I was sort of told that generally, Paul, you’re not bad,” he says. “I did run and I did exercise when I could, but I didn’t have any consistency. And I would always just derail it for work.”

But that changed when he realised that he was never going to be less busy. “If I’m going to create longevity first and foremost for my family… I just want, and I like the idea of being fit. I think as I’ve got older, the biggest respect I have for somebody is somebody that actually is healthy.”

Now training has become more than just exercise. “I feel a real meditation in that. I don’t have any other hobbies. I don’t have any time for pretty much anything else… but I’ve managed to sort of—this whole kind of triathlon stroke Iron Man thing—I just adore it.”

From guest house to Michelin star

Paul’s passion for food was born in the kitchen of his parents' guest house in Southampton. His mum, from the Seychelles, and his dad, a self-taught cook who worked abroad, created a home where food was central to daily life.

“I was pretty much born into hospitality,” he says. “My mum and dad set up a bed and breakfast… my dad would cook breakfast seven days a week for all the guests.”

He vividly remembers the kitchen being the hub of the house. “Even if I was in the kitchen doing homework, I’d be watching my dad cook, my mum cook. And then me and my sister got quite competitive… answering the phone and taking bookings.”

That strong work ethic and early exposure to cooking laid the foundation for his career. After working with Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing, Paul moved to Padstow, inspired by Rick Stein’s success in the town. “People were like, you must have been mad setting up down there. But I didn’t see it as madness. I just saw it as an opportunity. There’s a town here that’s been absolutely put on the map culinary-wise by Rick, and we can join in on that—but we can do what we do.”

Building a business on people

Today, Paul runs the Ainsworth Collection with his wife Emma, which includes No.6, the Mariners, Caffè Rojano, Padstow Townhouse and the recently opened Cici’s Bar. The secret to managing it all? His team.

“The success of what we do and the businesses is down to the people—great quality people who believe in it. It’s my job to inspire and value people,” he says. “If you have that, then honestly, you will achieve greatness.”

Paul credits his time working with Gordon Ramsay as a major influence on how he leads. “People see Gordon as they want to see him, like the fly-on-the-wall documentary Boiling Point… but everything was about the team and how he inspired you.”

That same philosophy runs through Paul’s own business. “It’s got to a point now where there are so many people that are on that sort of five, six-year mark… John Walton, who’s been with me now for 20 years.”

It’s not just about retention, though—it’s about creating a place where people can thrive. “We try to really focus on that you can have a great career in hospitality. You are always going to work hard, you are always going to have an element of unsocial hours. But those unsocial hours… not nine, 10 o’clock in the evening but you’ve been here since 7am. So it’s kind of removing that and making it more straight shift-led.”

Celebrating all food, not just fine dining

While No.6 may be the jewel in the crown, Paul is equally passionate about the more casual dining experiences in his group. From pizzas and pasta at Caffè Rojano to pub classics at the Mariners, he believes in celebrating all types of food.

“I think that’s probably our proudest achievement—how diverse the group is and how we can offer these different cuisines,” he says. “That doesn’t come easy to a lot of chefs. A lot of chefs sometimes have their lane and that’s what they do.”

But for Paul, it all comes back to a simple love of food. “It’s why we called the book For the Love of Food. I wish I could have said to that chef back in 2011, it’s because I love food and it doesn’t matter what it is.”

That passion is evident in everything he does—from testing every element of a pizza topping to perfecting the batter for fish and chips. “We’re not trying to create Michelin star dishes in Caffè Rojano or the Mariners. But what we are doing is taking the principles from No.6 and applying them. Great ingredients, balance, seasoning, texture—those things matter in every dish.”

Whether it’s a steak cooked on the barbecue at home, a humble crumble or a perfectly made crab sandwich, Paul’s approach is always the same: make it with love, make it delicious and make it matter.

“Good food for me is anything that is made with passion, with energy… great raw materials turned into something really, really delicious. And that can be anything.”