HEAVY snow showers and foggy patches which emerged as I ascended Fish Hill and turned off towards Paxford, meant that I felt a mixture of relief as well as excitement, as I arrived at The Churchill Arms.

A good friend lives a stone's throw from the pub so I know the area well and it certainly falls into the beautiful Cotswold village category - although maybe a little less celebrated than others due to being slightly off the beaten track.

Neighbouring Blockley, which you pass through to reach The Churchill, is also an excellent, close-knit community.

I had visited the pub on several occasions in the past, however the last time was more than two years ago and the former owners of that time, have long since left after the pub closed suddenly.

So on a cold evening in March, I was eager to find out what had changed under the stewardship of 34-year-old head chef and proprietor Nick Deverell-Smith, who is originally from the area and returned after honing his skills with the likes of Gordon Ramsey and Marcus Waring.

My brother and I ordered a pint of Purity's Mad Goose from the extensive collection of more traditional as well as craft lagers and ales on offer and a welcoming member of staff brought over a couple of cauliflower arancini to sample as we made our orders.

We both decided to plump for a fish starter. I liked the look of the scallops in a rich and tasty chive sauce, with bacon and peas. Scallops being a favourite of mine, this was always likely to be a winner and so it proved.

He chose the intriguing sounding, smoked haddock souffle with chive veloute, which was my second choice option. It was excellent. A delicate texture and full of flavour, without being overpowering. Well presented, it struck me as an imaginative dish and certainly made a good impression on us both.

For the main course I chose pan fried Cornish mackerel with steamed and celeriac puree. Having spent a lot of time as a youngster visiting my grandparents in Tenby, South Wales, mackerel was often on the menu and this dish brought back some fond memories. The fish was fresh and delicious with the tender meat, contrasting nicely with the crispier skin to give a heady mix of taste and texture.

My brother opted for the Barbary duck breast with red wine shallots and broccoli puree. The meat was tender and excellently done as well as being well-presented and of a good size.

For dessert I enjoyed pear, poached in white wine with hazelnut ice cream. My brother chose another fruit-based dessert in the pineapple tart tatin, with rum and raisin ice cream as a fine accompaniment.

The rooms at the pub come with a couple of nice touches which you wouldn't see elsewhere, such as fresh milk in the mini-fridge to use for a tea or coffee, making a nice change of pace from the long-life milk tabs usually on display.

During the meal it became clear very quickly that Nick has taken The Churchill in a different direction since taking over.

Whereas, under the previous regime it was more of the 'pub grub' style food, the emphasis is much more on fine food and excellent presentation; the quality of which would not look out of place in a high-end city restaurant.

His passion for food, use of local ingredients and imagination shows through strongly and it is easy to see that he learned his trade with some of the finest chefs around.

He has taken that quality and drive, and transported it to a lovely, welcoming Cotswold pub which is well worth a visit whatever the weather.