Your new book Everyday Seafood is out this month. What can we expect and how does it differ from what you prepare in your restaurants?
I’ve put together a collection that I hope will give people a seafood dish for all occasions. I’ve made sure that the ingredients can be found in most supermarkets and tried to include something for all levels of cooks. I also managed to get my sommelier, Damon Little, to write a short guide to matching wine with food, something people find confusing. Oh, and there’s a chapter of favourite desserts to round off a seafood meal too. I’m hoping I’ve covered all bases and that people will use the book to cook from rather than just put it on a shelf.

What’s the number-one mistake people make with seafood? Do you have a particular pearl of wisdom you could share?
People think seafood is difficult to cook but really it’s a fantastic convenience food and not hard to deal with once you know what you are doing. Most of it cooks in a few minutes but it continues to cook in residual heat. People don’t realise that and it’s why so many people end up with nasty overcooked fish. So, my best pearl of wisdom is to get everything else ready before starting to cook whichever seafood you are using. That way, you won’t be in danger of overcooking it.

The Black Pig in Rock, Cornwall, scored a Michelin star within a year of opening – is that something you had planned or intended to achieve so quickly?
Not at all, it was a huge honour to achieve this accolade in the first year of opening. At the time I was the youngest chef to be awarded a Michelin star at 25 years old. I opened that restaurant with hardly any investment, and we had to make any money we did have stretch really, really far. It was a tough year but the hard work paid off. I didn’t go into restaurants with the aim of getting a Michelin star; I did it because I wanted to create dishes with personality, that people would really enjoy and I hope to reflect the same values with Al Mahara.

You’ve worked with the likes of Eric Chavot, Gary Rhodes, John Campbell and of course Rick Stein, who you met at a young age – but who taught you the most valuable lesson?
I was very fortunate to work with the likes of the late, great Peter Kromberg in my first professional role at the InterContinental Hotel London Park Lane. Peter taught me how to be in a professional kitchen and gave me the confidence to go on and work with some of the best chefs in the industry. Working under the very inspirational Gary Rhodes, John Campbell and Rick Stein was also a great experience as they all taught me something. It was Rick who nurtured my love of seafood, which is probably one of the reasons why I am where I am in my career today.

Clearly you’re keen to pass on your knowledge – why was it important for you to open Academy Nathan Outlaw?
I went to Thanet College in my home county of Kent, which is where I studied professional cookery. This was the first stepping stone in my career and it was important on my path to becoming a professional chef. As a result I wanted to help others and in 2012 I got involved with education and training of young chefs. I joined forces with Cornwall College to open Academy Nathan Outlaw offering NVQ Level 2 and 3 student chefs and Level 3 Front of House students enhanced-learning opportunities.

Your residency at Al Mahara is your first venture outside the UK – what are your thoughts on the hotel and the restaurant?
Well, getting to work with the Burj Al Arab speaks for itself. It’s the best hotel in the world, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This is my first venture out of the UK, and what an iconic property to partner with. To me, this is the perfect first venture outside of the UK. At the moment Al Mahara is considered a French restaurant and when we relaunch it will be British; however, we do not want to lose any of the charm of Al Mahara, we just want to add the “Outlaw” touch – a more down-to-earth style of British hospitality, with a fun and buzzing atmosphere. Dubai has very much claimed its spot on the world food map and can definitely play with the big boys. As a chef it is one of the places you want to be. The city has attracted top talent from across the globe and offers world-class hospitality. I have been pleasantly surprised and found Dubai to be a lot more down-to-earth than I expected and extremely welcoming.

What does the future hold in terms of books, openings and more global travel?
I never thought I would open a restaurant outside of the UK to be honest, but the culinary world continues to surprise me. Who knows what is around the corner, but first I want to make a success of Al Mahara and the Burj Al Arab, before I look at doing anything else.

Speaking of travel, do you have a number-one destination for food?
My favourite food is classic British cuisine so I have to be biased and say the UK. I love wholesome, homely dishes like shepherd’s pie and toad in the hole – as well as traditional British puddings like treacle tart. Customers can definitely expect to see my lovely treacle and raspberry tart on the menu at Al Mahara.