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chef profile
chef profile Name: Lee Evans Head chef at: The Wheatsheaf, Combe Hay Originally from: Herefordshire
My earliest food memories are mainly associated with my nan. We would go to the market in Ross-on-Wye and taste the cheese to take home for lunch, which normally consisted of freshly made bread, cheddar and onions from the garden. My nan always had whole rabbits and buckets of fresh water eels in her pantry – she was a really keen cake maker too. I knew I wanted to make a career out of food from a very early age; I never really wanted to do anything else. I had my first set of knives at the age of 14 but had to leave them in the Head of Year’s office until my catering lesson at school. It wasn’t until I started my first job with Stuart McLeod at Castle House in Hereford that I realised fine dining and Michelin style cooking was where I wanted to be. After spending my whole career in Country House Hotels such as the Bath Priory and Holbeck Ghyll in the lakes, I wanted to move into an area of the industry where I could concentrate solely on the food in a more informal setting. I met the owners Adele and Ian Barton and all our goals were set on the same target
so it seemed like a natural choice. Three years on, the rest is history. The menus are devised so as not to alienate members of the public. We have fine dining dishes on the same menu as steak and chips or a fish pie. Seasonality is a big thing at the Wheatsheaf too; I hate for instance, seeing asparagus on menus in January, where is the logic in that? We only use the freshest ingredients possible here. For example, the fishmongers phone me up in the morning from the day boats to see what I want and it’s with me later that night. At The Wheatsheaf we aim to serve Michelin quality food in a relaxed, comfortable and friendly environment. Who says that if you want good food you have to put a shirt and tie on and not a pair of shorts? You’ll get quality service, an extensive wine list and amazing food at reasonable prices. Quality doesn’t have to break the bank but I do believe you get what you pay for, as in all walks of life. We have our own chickens and ducks laying delicious eggs and a kitchen garden which provides when it can. At the moment we have great wild garlic coming through the hedgerows, as well as wild plums, sloes and elderflower during the seasons. We have a Bramley apple tree
that provides a large harvest each year, and we’re growing many types of summer berries too. When game season is in, Ian the owner goes hunting and provides me with partridge and pheasant. I hate cooking for other chefs! I know how fussy and picky chefs are when eating other people’s food. I like to keep it simple when I get home, as I spend all day cooking I’m quite happy with beans on toast, fajitas or a fish finger sandwich! I can eventually see myself running my own successful busy restaurant. I would love a Michelin star but if it comes, it comes. It is secondary to having happy customers and bums on seats. The knowledge that my team and myself are producing quality food and enjoy doing it is definitely enough for me.
The Wheatsheaf Combe Hay BA2 7EG Tel: 01225 833504 Visit: www.wheatsheafcombehay.co.uk
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