Meet the Hampshire chef who cooked alongside Tom Kerridge

Paul Layton, from Layton's at The Leckford Hutt, talks Sunday roast, red wine and kebab vans in our meet the chef column.

What first inspired you to become a chef?

"Being in the kitchen with my mum. That is where it all started. Watching her cook, learning without even realising I was learning. The kitchen always felt like the heart of everything and I suppose it still does."

What was the first meal you cooked for someone else?

"A Sunday roast. Classic. I was probably far too confident about it at the time but it seemed to go down well enough to keep me going!"

On the menu of Layton's at The Leckford Hutt (Image: Layton's at The Leckford Hutt)

Tell us a bit about your career so far...

"I started out as a butcher and taught myself from there, working my way up through the ranks the old fashioned way. Sixteen years ago I took the leap and started my own venture and I have never looked back. Layton's is the latest chapter and probably the one I am most proud of."

What is your proudest career moment to date?

"Working in the kitchen alongside Tom Kerridge. Being in that environment, alongside someone of that calibre, pushes you in ways you cannot fully explain. It stays with you."

What is your signature dish?

"Beef cheek and red wine pie. Slow, rich, deeply comforting. Everything a proper pie should be."

Layton's at The Leckford Hutt (Image: Layton's at The Leckford Hutt)

What is your favourite dish currently on your menu?

"The Layton's Seafood Curry. It has a depth of flavour that surprises people and it changes slightly depending on what is best that week. That is the beauty of it."

Where is your favourite place to eat in Hampshire?

"The kebab van in Stockbridge. No shame whatsoever. Sometimes the best food is the simplest food and that van is proof of it."

What is your favourite meal to cook at home?

"A proper Layton's roast. It is what Sundays were made for."

What do you like to drink with dinner?

"A good red wine. Nothing complicated, just something that works with whatever is on the plate."

On the menu of Layton's at The Leckford Hutt (Image: Layton's at The Leckford Hutt)

What is your culinary guilty pleasure?

"A stodgy pudding with proper custard. All the finesse goes out of the window and I would not have it any other way."

Which key ingredient is always in your fridge?

"Proper butter. Not the stuff in a tub. Real butter. It makes everything better and I will not be convinced otherwise."

What is your favourite Hampshire ingredient?

"Watercress. It grows right here on our doorstep and it is one of those ingredients that people overlook but it has a real peppery depth that lifts a dish beautifully. Hampshire watercress is something to be genuinely proud of."

Which chef do you most admire?

"Marco Pierre White. The original. The passion, the precision, the standards he set. Nobody has quite matched it since."

Inside Layton's at The Leckford Hutt (Image: Layton's at The Leckford Hutt)

What is your career ambition?

"To please as many diners as I can. That is it really. Not Michelin stars, not fame. Just people leaving happy. That is the job."

What do you think will be the next big restaurant trend?

"Small plates are already having a moment and I think that will only continue to grow. People want freedom when they eat out. They want to share, graze, order more as they go and make an evening of it rather than being locked into a fixed three course structure. Beyond that I think people are craving genuine experiences and real connection. A beautifully crafted meal in a place that feels human and authentic will always win over somewhere that exists purely for Instagram. The best restaurants make you feel something. That is what people will keep coming back for."