“There was a feeling of abundance,” she told The Independent, describing the Hole in the Wall. “The food was enticing, there were no unnecessary frills. Everything was done on a generous scale.”
Mr. Perry-Smith became a silent partner in the Carved Angel. His stepson, Tom Jaine, was an active partner, a role later filled by Meriel Boydon, Mr. Perry-Smith’s niece.
At the Carved Angel, Ms. Molyneux created a laid-back atmosphere that turned regular customers into friends; some would bring recipes that would then turn up on the menu.
“I want to make customers feel comfortable, relaxed and welcome,” she told The Herald Express of Devon, England, in 1990. “Neither the staff nor I are here to show off or score points.”
In a 2018 interview with The Guardian, Rosemary Shrager, the well-known British chef and television personality, cited Ms. Molyneux as one of her major influences. She called Ms. Molyneux “a hugely important figure, not only for her food, but for what she represented.”
“Kitchens then were very chauvinistic, pompous and often with a ‘French is best’ attitude,” she said. “Women were only supposed to cook at home or in schools. Well, Joyce took that culture by the scruff of its neck, making the kitchen her own and teaching people about how good British food could be in the process.”
Ms. Molyneux is survived by a brother, Philip.
In 1987, when she received an award from the British Academy of Gastronomes, Ms. Molyneux was appreciative. But she also noted that staying on top meant remaining vigilant every night.
“I take the view,” she said, “that you are only as good as your last meal.”