A CAREER born out of an interest has been the ideal ingredient to give a unique flavour to a family-run pub in Somerset 

Paul Green, wife Stella and their son Chris have been in charge of the Lethbridge Arms in Bishops Lydeard for just over a year.
And the ‘new’ team is creating ‘an atmosphere for good food and good company’.
The head chef in the kitchen at the pub is Chris.

Speaking about his role, he said one of his greatest assets was his ability when it came to ‘time management’.

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He said at times being a chef was like looking at a chess board and having to think six moves ahead so everything was ready at the same time for the customer.

“I have always enjoyed cooking and this is the second pub I have been head chef at, the first being The Exeter Inn in Bampton,” said Chris.

“Being a chef is something which just grew out of an interest and has now turned into a career.

“I do love cooking and I thrive on the pressure. 
“Being in the kitchen is a high pressure environment and I enjoy the pressure.
“The pressure is the whole speed aspect. 

Somerset County Gazette:

“Everything has to be got out and it has to be spot on every time - it has to be consistent.
“All the food made here is freshly cooked. 
“We prep as much as we can but people do not mind waiting for fresh food.

“When people come out they want to relax and be in a convivial atmosphere which we are trying to create here.”

He said many regulars had already hit on a favourite from the menu.
“Our steak and ale pie is something people really enjoy,” he explained.
“They have said it is one of the best they have tasted.
“We use Quantock Ale and beer from Exmoor.”

But it was on the specials board Chris said he allowed himself room to experiment.
“We always have a specials board and this is where it becomes fun and you can go wild,” he said.
“The specials board is something where you can take an idea and see if it will work.

“This might be something you come across when you are out and you decide to take that dish and make it your own, or you think of ingredients and what you can use.

Somerset County Gazette:

“I made chicken stroganoff for a customer and not beef stroganoff and for it, I used smoked paprika, which I had never used before. It turned out so well I use it all the time now.”

Chris’ love of cooking is what brought him to the trade, having worked alongside his parents.
“I was taught by another head chef, I worked under him at my parents last pub,” Chris said.
“He taught me everything I know and I am grateful.
“I think he enjoyed teaching someone who was interested in all aspects of cooking.

“One of the most important things he taught me was time management.
“When the orders come in you need to know which items are going to take the longest to cook.
“You have to know what needs to be done first.
“For example every steak is different and each takes a different length of time.

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“If you want a steak done one way it will take X amount of time.
“We use a char grill here which I think keeps the flavour of the steak better.”

There are a number of tasty meals on the menu at The Lethbridge Arms.
These include:
Starters
l Prawn Cocktail
l Soup of the day
l Baked Brie
l Crispy Whitebait 
l Creamy garlic mushroom
l Homemade chicken liver pate

Mains:
l Steak and Quantock ale pie
l Honey and mustard roast ham (home cooked ham)
l Beer battered cod and chips
l Wholetail Whitby scampi and chips
l Lasagna
l Spinach pine nut and Ricotta lasagna
l Pumpkin, cranberry and red onion Tangine
l Chilli Con Carne 3 bean chilli
l Hunters chicken
l Chicken Tikka Masala
l Linguine Carbonara and garlic bread
From the grill:
l Steak
l Gammon
l A variety of burgers

Sandwiches
All sandwiches are served on either thick white or Granary bread:
l Cheese & Real Ale Chutney (v)
l Honey Roast Ham & Mustard
l Prawn Mayo
l Medium Rare Roast Beef & Horseradish

Desserts 
l Cheeseboard
l All Desserts are served with a choice of custard, Ice Cream or double cream.
l Ice Creams are served with a Rossini Curl.

As a head chef, Chris loves his job and could not be happier doing what he does at the Lethbridge Arms.
He added: “I really love what I do.
“I never think in the morning, ‘I do not want to go to work’.
“It is something I love doing.
“I love it.”
For further details on The Lethbridge Arms log on to thelethbridgearmspub.co.uk.