Top chef comes to the manor (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Top chef comes to the manor

CHEF Toby Hill hand-dives for his own scallops, worked under the infamous Gordon Ramsey and was the yougest British chef to be awarded a Michelin Star at the age of 24.

But it was training with Raymond Blanc which first gave him the inspiration to devote his life to being a top-notch chef.

Now Toby, 32, is the new executive chef at the Lords of the Manor in Upper Slaughter with the simple ambition: "To provide the best regionally sourced produce, perfectly cooked for formal or informal dinners."

He has already contacted farmers around the village to put their local lamb on the table.

His beef comes from Evesham, he has had deer from the Badminton Estate, asparagus from Stow-on-the-Wold and courgette flowers and herbs are being grown in the hotel garden.

"I want to make the most of the food available locally as much as I can and increase the fruit and vegetables we gow here," he said.

Fish comes from Lymington and arrives in the kitchens within 10 hours of being caught.

Toby speaks to the fishermen about where he wants his fish to come from as he knows the waters well and understands which species swim where.

He flies up to the west coast of Scotland once a month and dives for his own scallops.

"Trawled scallops are not good as they are under such stress when they are caught.

"Hand-dived are the best flavour and I love diving," said Toby.

"I am still as excited about food as I was when I started out - Raymond Blanc was my inspiration and I still cook classic simple dishes with a French basis."

He gained his first Michelin star eight years ago when he was at Gordleton Mill Hotel in Lymington, Dorset.

He admits to being a bit of a "hot-head" in his younger days.

At La Tante Claire he worked under Pierre Koffman, moving with him to the Berkeley Hotel.

His "hot-head" days were put behind him when he worked under Gordon Ramsey at the Chelsea Restaurant - a man well-known for his fiery ways.

"The guy demands perfection and he has to be black and white," said Toby.

"I have enormous respect for him. You are under constant pressure in his kitchen but there are no panics.

"Everything is efficient and organised and I learned how to work in this way.

"I have taken something out of every kitchen I have worked in which makes me the chef I am today."

Toby's last job was at the famed Box Tree in Ilkley, West Yorkshire.

His arrival at the Lords of the Manor is ushering in a new concept of dining at the hotel.

Previous Lords chef John Campbell's style was more formal while Toby's emphasis emulates Raymond Blanc's style of giving the diner a relaxed, fun experience with classic food.

There is dining alfresco for the summer months on the garden terrace at the hotel which last year gained a Michelin star, four AA rosettes, RAC 4 dining awards and a RAC Gold Ribbon.

"I am given a free rein here to cook in my own style and we are a good brigade of eight in the kitchen."

General manager Philip Mason-Gordon works closely with Toby and shares the same ethos.

"There would be no point hiring a chef like Toby and then telling him what he can cook and where to source his food," he said.

"We want to get the message to local people that the Lords is not a stuffy place - you can pop in for an informal lunch at reasonable prices or come here for a formal dinner."