IAN Gibbs has a lot on his plate – literally. As head chef at the Kings Arms Hotel in Christchurch, Ian is charged with devising the different menus on offer, as well as heading up the team of chefs, and being heavily involved in the upcoming Christchurch Food Festival.

He took part in the pancake race to launch this year’s festival and is preparing to hold a special event hosting Lesley Waters at the restaurant.

“We have supper clubs, I’m helping to launch a chef of the year competition and we go to local schools all the time,” added Ian.

Originally from the Midlands, Ian trained in Solihull and launched several restaurants in the Cotswolds, even cooking for the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh for the 2003 Maundy Thursday service at Gloucester Cathedral, before moving to Dorset nine years ago.

He initially worked at the Coventry Arms in Wimborne, before joining the Kings Arms two years ago, where he has concentrated his efforts on re-launching the restaurant.

“We’ve built up a great team,” he said.

“And my sous chef Tony Hole does a great job. We have such a good rapport and I love that. The compliments come to me, but it’s down to my team as well. That’s what makes it, that’s our ethic here.”

The restaurant was this year awarded the only Michelin Bib Gourmand in Dorset, which equates to half a Michelin star. The success, says Ian, is all down to keeping it simple.

“We’ve built a reputation with our food and our produce,” he explained. “It’s always been about local produce and the flavour. We have a 15-mile menu, for which all our suppliers are within 15 miles.

“The a la carte seasonal menu changes every six to eight weeks or so and the 15-mile menu is constantly evolving.

“It’s about the evolution of the menu. I can change it twice daily if I want to.

“As different suppliers are introduced to us, then different dishes grow.”

Ian makes a point of being visible within the restaurant and is also constantly sending members of his team into the dining area to retrieve ingredients from the shelves running around the room.

“People want to talk to the chef,” he said.

“You put a face to the name, to the food and then people come back again. That’s what makes us special.

“It’s taken us two years to get to where we are now. We are very busy, it’s brilliant.

“We are developing something very special.”

thekings-christchurch.co.uk