Great British Menu's Paul Ainsworth addresses 'rivalry' with chef Rick Stein

Paul Ainsworth has spoken out about the rumoured "confrontation" with fellow celebrity chef that folks think went down in Cornwall.

The 46-year-old chef, who runs Michelin-starred Paul Ainsworth at No6 in Padstow, is often pitted against Rick Stein's The Seafood Restaurant in the quaint Cornish town, reports .

But Paul, who regularly appears on the Great British Menu having won the dessert course back in 2011, was quick to shut down any rumours of a feud between the two Cornwall-based celebrity chefs.

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On the Proper Tasty podcast hosted by Chris Stark and, Paul tackled the rumours about having a "confrontation" with 78-year-old Rick head-on, telling listeners: "People always think there's maybe some confrontation with Rick Stein, there's not".

Co-host Tom couldn't resist joking: "There's not anymore since they had their MMA cage fight".

Paul elaborated that Rick, who’s got his hands full with Stein's Fish and Chips, St Petroc's Bistro, and Rick Stein's Café, initially drew him to Padstow, saying: "We 100 percent made the move to Cornwall because Rick had made something brilliant. And it's still a massive influence in that Cornish food scene.

"But it has changed a lot and it's brilliant. It's quite a melting pot now of amazing places and it's a great place to be in hospitality and food."

Tom was full of praise for Cornwall, saying: "It's amazing, the people, the place, the coastline it's got is very different north and south. The farmyard, the countryside, the walks, the beaches, and the food scene is unbelievable, it's one of the most magical places in the country."

In a previous chat with HuffPost, Paul shared his admiration for fellow chef Rick, mentioning that despite what people might think, there's no fierce competition between them. He expressed: "Lots of people assume there's a big rivalry between me and Rick but there's not, I've always thought Rick Stein is an absolute legend and what he's done for Padstow has been absolutely brilliant."

He went on to describe his culinary approach, saying: "I've tried to complement him and offer something different - showcase Cornwall's game and the shellfish and the meat, and the great artisan producers that we have here in Cornwall."

Paul, who began his career working for Gary Rhodes, recently took home an honour for his contribution to hospitality at the Trencherman's Awards 2025.