Pete Ellison cooks a mean curry. He's been known to produce up to 15 different dishes at one sitting, all served with home-made naan bread, chutneys and pickles. His wine list has more than 30 carefully selected reds and a dozen whites, and he has won accolades from customers from as far apart as New Malden and New Zealand.
But there's no point trying to book a table for a night out after work. Ellison is the warden at England's most remote youth hostel, and the only way to sample his cooking is to take a 2-mile trek on foot into the mountains of the central Lake District, from one of three remote valleys.
Black Sail Hut is a former shepherd's bothy in the shadow of Great Gable and Pillar mountains, almost equidistant from Wastwater, Ennerdale and Buttermere, and this year it celebrates its 70th anniversary as a youth hostel.
On a typical Cumbrian night, after a long day in the hills, Black Sail offers a degree of luxury - compared with camping in the wild, that is. Modern technology has raised the standard of accommodation above the primitive: there's a solar panel on the roof (just one, due to planning regulations) and a wind generator, installed thanks to a donation from the late Chris Brasher. "But if it's calm and dull, nothing happens," says Ellison. "An electric toaster, for instance, would be too big a drain on power resources."
So no toast for breakfast, but as the warden bakes bread each day, there are few complaints. Nor do guests mind switching on their torches at night; the generator makes so much noise that they wouldn't be able to sleep if it were left on. The upside is an undisturbed view of the stars on a clear night. And besides, there's a gas boiler that heats water for the radiators - yes, bedrooms are centrally heated - and shower.
Just one shower, note, and two toilets, to serve the maximum of 16 guests, and you have to step outside to reach them. But if there is a queue for the loo, the view while you wait is pretty spectacular.
Back indoors, there are three bunk rooms, one of which sleeps eight, while the other two have four bunks. Families can book a four-bunk room, and couples can book a family room if they pay a premium rate. On the other hand, they may find that on a quiet night they have a room of their own.
As at all YHA hostels, sleeping bags, duvets, blankets and pillows are provided, but you need to bring your own towels. The YHA is now winning the battle to shed its old image of basic, all-hands-on-deck hospitality. Where once it was presumed that guests would arrive on foot - or maybe bicycle - most hostels (not Black Sail, of course) now have car parks, although the YHA encourages its members to use public transport. And, unlike the old days, hostellers are no longer assigned household tasks when they book in.
Visitors can bring their own drinks, or buy wine and beer with their meals. This year, some will be selling spirits as well, and Ellison has a decent stock of malt whisky in the cupboard.
Many hostels down at valley level are open during the daytime, with extensive facilities forrainy day entertainment - games rooms, pool tables, even TV lounges. (At Black Sail, Ellison also provides outdoor games for visitors with families, water pistols being the favourite.) The benefits of hostelling are increasingly apparent for families. Many establishments have equipment for hire, such as cots, high chairs and baby baths, along with laundry and clothes drying facilities.
"We understand how important it is to be flexible when travelling with children," said a YHA spokesman. "There's a self-catering option at almost all hostels. If you need a night off from cooking, you can always book a meal instead. And hostelling can be an ideal introduction for youngsters spending their first nights away from the family in a secure and safe environment. Teenagers of 14 and over can stay on their own or with friends."
As yet, there's little evidence that youth hostels have teen-appeal, although an enterprising couple of students at Huddersfield University recently completed a public relations campaign for the YHA in a bid to attract more visitors in their teens and 20s. They are highlighting the price of accommodation and pointing out that there are hostels in many town and city locations as well as the countryside.
For a generation fixed on TV and computers, the prospect of an evening's conversation in the common room looks less than enchanting in terms of entertainment value. But at Black Sail the very isolation is part of the attraction; you can't get much further away from it all than this.
Way to go
Getting there: Black Sail Hut (Ennerdale, Cleator, Cumbria CA23 3AY, tel: 07711 108450). Nearest roads are the summit of Honister pass or Gatesgarth on the B5289 in the Buttermere valley; from either, it is a 2 mile mountain walk to the hostel. The Stagecoach 77/A bus from Keswick stops at Honister, May-Oct only; the 79 from Keswick stops at Seatoller, 3 miles away.
A night at Black Sail Hut costs £10.25 an adult, £7 for under-18s. Dinner is £5.10, but £9 on curry night. Breakfast is £3.50, and you can book a packed lunch for £4.
Further information: The YHA, Trevelyan House, Dimple Road, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 3YH (0870 7708868, yha.org.uk).
