Food Excellence Awards pubchef of the year 2008

Ross Williams

Head chef/owner, the Wellington

A former London PR director turned pub owner and self-taught chef has been crowned PubChef of the Year 2008. Ross Williams, who left London five years ago to buy the Wellington, in Wellington, Herefordshire, with his wife, Philippa, scooped the top title in the PubChef Food Excellence Awards.

Ross, who has been cooking for just two-and-a-half years, wowed the judges with his passion for local ingredients, attention to detail and the individuality of his food.

Competition judge David Hancock, editor of the Alastair Sawday Pubs And Inns Guide, said: "It's obvious he's still exploring the art of cooking and there are dishes, ingredients and cooking styles that he really finds exciting and this shines through in his gutsy food - well conceived ideas, robust flavours, expert execution and thoughtful presentation."

Pub facts

Covers: 70

Covers per week: 350

Wet:dry split: 30:70

Chefs: Four chefs, one kitchen porter

Weekly turnover: £8,000

Growth: 20% to 25% year on year.

Background: Ross focused his love of food and cooking to become head chef in his own commercial kitchen, two and a half years ago. He believes menus should be driven by local, seasonal produce and dishes should be interesting but accessible. He says cooking should be done with passion, presentation and customer service should be perfect, and the bill shouldn't be exorbitant. He says the biggest challenge has been turning himself from being a person who loves food and cooking into a food-business operator.

Trends: Provenance is the buzz word. Ross says: "Lucky for us, it has always been on our agenda. Our pork comes from the village, the beef and lamb from about 10 miles away and our fruit and veg direct from local farmers, when possible.

"Game is also very popular at the moment, as is offal, and part of the enjoyment of being a chef is to get people to try dishes they might not normally try."

Inspirations: Stephen Bull. "He made similar life-style changes to me and has really made a success of the style of cooking we do here at the Wellington - seasonal ingredients, well cooked in relaxed surroundings."

Gordon Ramsay. "He is inspiring not only for his culinary skills but also because he knows how to run a restaurant."

Franco Taruschio, founder of the Walnut Tree, Abergavenny. "He came in to do a day's cooking in our kitchen. He's another example of a great chef and a savvy business man."

The future: "I'm not going back to my old life. I see my future in hospitality - if not in the kitchen then definitely as an owner/operator. The immediate future at the Wellington includes a walled garden that we have bought in the village. We intend to grow interesting varieties of vegetables.

"As I am a self-taught chef and my team is quite young, we have an experimental attitude in the kitchen. I'd like to get more inspirational chefs to visit - it gives the team a boost and some food for thought."

Pubs or restaurants? "I see my future in pubs. This is where the exciting cooking is taking place - you are more able to take risks and experiment because the environment is not so formal. The trend at the moment is for chefs to move from restaurants to pubs."

Tips for food virgins: "Do lots of research. Find the style of operation that will suit your location and customers and talk to the owner.

"Be prepared to do a lot of hard work. I do 40 hours a week in the kitchen and as many again running the business.

"I wouldn't change being a self-taught chef if I could go back. Practising in a working kitchen is the best way to learn."

judges' Comments

"Very clear approach, very articulate, very passionate."

"His meat dish, incorporating a faggot, demonstrated great use of the whole lamb. Very creative."

"Proper pub food prepared beautifully."

"Passion for food pours out of him."

"Amazing that he has only been cooking for two-and-a-half years."

Taste of success

As PubChef of the Year 2008, Ross had the honour of having menu concepts devised by him served to the 350 guests at the PubChef Food Excellence Awards at the Dorchester, Park Lane, London. "All the dishes are proven winners from our pub menu."

Winner's dinner:

Starter: Red onion tart Tatin with mizuna and Parmesan salad.

Main course: Roast guinea fowl wrapped in bacon with roasted winter vegetables in a red wine sauce.

Dessert: Vanilla panna cotta with cinnamon poached fig.