MARION SAUVEBOIS chats to the head chef who successfully turned a hotel’s lacklustre restaurant into a top-class eatery.

PULLING into the drive at Sudbury House having made the rather exhausting journey from his Michelin star kitchen in East Sussex, Andrew Scott was somewhat perplexed.

The tired Best Western hotel in Faringdon had been gutted and was a veritable building site when he was invited to interview for the post of executive head chef at its (yet to materialise) high-end eatery.

While most would have beaten a hasty retreat, Andrew was determined to leave his industry accolades behind, start again from scratch and make his mark on a fledgling establishment. And so he did.

Nearly 18 months ago, thanks to boundless grit, heaps of patience and unwavering efforts, from the ashes of the former chain’s ‘Bisto’ kitchen rose Restaurant 56.

“We have been on a bit of a roller coaster,” admitted the 32-year-old. “We could either shut the hotel for however many months while this was all being done or keep it open and run with it. That was more of a challenge but we did it. We had to work to a pretty tight schedule with some of the builders. But now it really looks like it’s coming together.

“When I arrived it was a complete mess. It was still in its Best Western Hotel state, the rooms were run down. We had to start from scratch, the kitchen was using Bisto and cooking from packets when it was a Best Western, it was ridiculous. I had to write new wedding, buffet, restaurant and room service menus. It was a mammoth task.”

Unlike most of his peers, Andrew was never lost for words when quizzed about what he hoped to become when he grew up. He would be a chef.

The eager home cook was just 13 when he entered and won his first cookery contest as a cub scout. His three-course menu thoroughly impressed one of the semi-final judges, the head chef at the Whately Hall hotel in his native Banbury who soon took him under his wing and offered him a job in his kitchen.

“My parents are from a hospitality background so growing up I was always encouraged to cook at home. I always appreciated good food. At 13 I entered a scout cooking competition. The chef who judged the Banbury competition took a shine to me. He actually helped me with my menu for the final in Oxford. I don’t remember exactly what I made; I think the main course was chicken and the dessert was ricotta and orange. He offered me a job as a kitchen porter as the local hotel. I started helping out in the kitchen on the garnish section and that was it for me, I was hooked. There were all these older chefs who were completely bonkers. I looked up to them. It was completely rock’n’roll.”

At the age of 16, he left school to train at North Oxfordshire College. After graduating, he joined Mallory Court in Royal Leamington Spa as an apprentice, eventually rising within the ranks to chef de partie. Followed stints at L’Enclume and Lords of The Manor in the Cotswolds. Andrew returned to Mallory Court where he was promoted from sous chef to head chef and succeeded in retaining the hotel’s Michelin star for three years.

He moved to The Curlew in East Sussex and again was instrumental in maintaining the kitchen’s Michelin star rating.

“The way I looked at it, I retained the stars but I had this gripe that I’d never won anything from ground zero. I wanted to make my mark properly. Anyone can rock up to a Relais Chateau and achieve something. I wanted a project where I had 100 per cent control and could put my touch on everything.”

After an interview in Faringdon, Andrew was invited to cook for Sudbury House’s new owner at his other hotel, Llangoed Hall in Wales, his management and finance team.

“I had to cook a three-course meal for five people on my own while the hotel’s chef watched the way I worked. I was absolutely exhausted when I drove back but I really wanted the job. I saw Llangoed and how beautifully finished it was and I got this feeling from them that they were going to do things properly at Sudbury.”

With such a star-studded curriculum vitae, it would not be amiss to expect a predilection towards ‘deconstructed’ this or that and ethereal desserts appearing beneath a thick veil of liquid nitrogen. And yet, while presentation is essential, flavour must always take precedent for Andrew.

“I wanted to do modern British food, using nostalgic flavours with a bit of French twist,” he added. “We have done Bird’s Custard Ice Cream and we’ve also had some interesting flavours like coffee, eucalyptus and pear. It’s not just about what it looks like on the plate. For me it’s about flavour, flavour, flavour. We’ve been trying to make the food as clean as possible. And everything has to look perfect but I’ve tried to rein back these slashes and dots a lot of places do. It looks effortless but a lot of work has gone into it. We try to show off the flavours not cloud them.”

As it begins to establish its name across the region and beyond, Restaurant 56 is hoping to attract the attention of Michelin inspectors.

“It’s an exciting thing for a chef, aiming for the highest accolade possible. The Michelin star results will be announced on September 17 in the morning and we probably won’t sleep on the 16.”

Sudbury House and Andrew are preparing to launch The Magnolia Brasserie at the hotel in the summer. The eatery will sit comfortably between pub food territory and fine dining experience, offering a more rustic menu with some classics such as pork belly, pizzas and poussin.

Restaurant 56 is based at Sudbury House Hotel, London Street, Faringdon, SN7 7AA. For more details and to make a reservation call 01367 241272 or visit www.sudburyhouse.co.uk.

Andrew Scott will take part in the Swindon Food & Drink Festival which will be held between June 27 and 28 at Lydiard Park. For more details go to swindon-festival.com.