Beyond paradise restaurant's owner 'proud' of show but admits to 'kickback'

THE SARDINE FACTORY IN LOOE, CORNWALL, IS THE REAL-LIFE LOCATION OF THE TEN MILE KITCHEN, WHICH IS OWNED BY CHEF BEN PALMER, WHO WON THE GREAT BRITISH MENU IN 2024 KAREN PRICE Assistant

Editor of Screen Time and EMMANUELLA NGIMBI 08:34, 03 Jun 2025 BBC Death in Paradise spin-off Beyond Paradise launched in 2023 and set to the backdrop of scenic Looe in Cornwall. Kris

Marshall returns as Humphrey Goodman from the original series, now solving crimes in the make-believe Shipton Abbott with his detective crew. Additionally, the story delves into Humphrey’s

home life with his partner, Martha Lloyd (played by Sally Bretton), who steps into the culinary scene with her venture The Ten Mile Kitchen. The actual venue used for Martha’s enterprise is

owned by none other than chef Ben Palmer, crowned champion in the 2024 Great British Menu. Palmer discussed with the Daily Express how his restaurant, The Sardine Factory, became a

pilgrimage site for fans and the community's mixed reactions to its newfound fame. READ MORE: Death in Paradise's Kris Marshall teases reunion with co-star in new seriesREAD MORE:

Jeremy Clarkson defends his pub's 'extortionate' £24 pie and tells critics to 'enjoy your chlorine' Following The Sardine Factory's feature in Beyond

Paradise's third season, reservations skyrocketed by 444%, spiking from 45 to an astounding 245 bookings within a week. Article continues below Despite the boost to business, some local

residents have expressed discontent over the influx of visitors flocking to their town. Ben confided: "You know you get a lot of kickback from a lot of locals saying, we don't

want more people coming to town, but you know what it's so important to bring tourism to the restaurant business, we rely on it," reports the Express. Ben disclosed that despite

some negative reactions, many locals have welcomed the attention, saying: "As locals, we were all really proud when we saw our beautiful kind of hometown on the telly, it was really

kind of cool, and everybody was kind of asking, 'where is this beautiful place?'" He added: "You know, we're incredibly lucky. It kind of gives you a sense of

feeling like we're really proud that this is our hometown, and it just showcases it, making you realise how beautiful it is as well." Admiring his locality, Ben remarked:

"It's a lovely place, but then when you come to see it, you think, 'my God, it is actually,' we're very lucky. "It's a very beautiful place, and then

everybody wants to come and visit where they saw on TV, which was really cool." Article continues below Regarding the popularity of Beyond Paradise, Ben acknowledged his surprise,

confessing: "I never kind of really watched it, and then obviously I thought, you know, it's in my own town and stuff, you might catch a glimpse of someone you know. I started to

watch it and, you know what? It's pretty good." Ben opened his restaurant back in 2018 as a part of reinvigorating the town, which also included opening a museum. The Sardine

Factory gets its name from its previous incarnation as an old sardine processing plant. BEYOND PARADISE IN AVAILABLE ON BBC IPLAYER