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Ashleigh Farrand

Hailing from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Ashleigh has dedicated her career to the culinary arts, honing her skills across various pubs known for their exceptional food. Recently, she ascended from sous chef to head chef at The Kingham Plough, a prestigious 2 AA rosette establishment located in the scenic Cotswolds.   Ashleigh skillfully transforms local ingredients, like the beautiful produce she receives from Four Seasons, into standout interpretations of classic pub fare.   Her culinary journey includes valuable experience at several renowned venues, including the Ellenborough Park Hotel in Cheltenham, where she gained practical training. Subsequently, she worked at notable gastro pubs such as the Slaughters Country Inn and Frog Mill. A significant chapter of her career was spent under the guidance of Great British Menu alumnus Emily Lampson (formerly Watkins), culminating in her promotion to head chef in June 2020.  
  The Kingham Plough is the quintessential Cotswold Inn combining an outstanding award-winning restaurant alongside a perfect village pub.   They continually champion the very best local and seasonal ingredients, showcasing their incredible suppliers through the pub’s ever-popular menus.   Food & Drink at The Kingham Plough   From grazing plates in our comfy bar to elegant pub classics, wood-fired steaks and the freshest shellfish, their menu is modern-British with a Mediterranean touch. Their team of chefs are passionate about sourcing only the very best seasonal ingredients and crafting them into delicious moreish dishes.   Behind the bar find a well-kept selection of craft ales and local beers as well as expertly mixed cocktails made with spirits. Their carefully curated wine list offers a range of international wines handpicked from our favourite vineyards and producers, available by the glass or bottle. Whether for pairing with food, relaxing fireside with nibbles or heading out to our sunny terrace, we have the perfect tipple for you.   Alongside their all-day bar menu and à la carte dining, they are also open for breakfast.   The Kingham Plough    

Why did you decide to become a chef – what inspired you?

I’ve loved food and cooking for as long as I can remember and it’s something I knew I wanted to pursue as a career. Where did you train? I trained at Ellenborough Park whilst doing my GCSEs and A Levels, later going full time and completing Level 2&3 NVQs in professional cookery with HIT. What is your own personal signature dish? Chocolate and coconut delice, miso caramel, coconut sorbet What is your favourite cuisine to cook? I love experimenting, at The Kingham Plough we have traditional British dishes as well as French, and Mediterranean dishes with the odd dish inspired by Asian flavours here and there. What influences your menu? Our produce, we have a fantastic list of local suppliers and I like to work with them, when they say they have some fantastic figs or tomatoes, I think of a dish to use that ingredient. Favourite ingredient? Vinegars – they balance a dish perfectly and give a lift at the end.
Your favourite season to cook in? I love Autumn, the temperature starts to drop, it’s the beginning of the game season, and there are still some berries and apples and a whole lot of vegetables, cauliflower, pumpkin, radish, and mushrooms just to name a few What’s the next ‘big thing’ in cooking? The older traditions of fermenting are getting a lot more public interest and are easier to access. Such as miso, sauerkraut, kombucha , making fruit vinegars with scraps. This also helps with zero waste which we should all be focusing on as well. What’s your personal go-to dish when short of time? Risotto, we always have rice in the dry stores, easy to make seasonal depending on what fresh produce we have in the fridge, and stock is something we always have or are in the process of making. You have your idol coming to dinner at your home, what do you serve? I’d probably light the bbq, you can’t replicate the flavour you get from cooking over open coal. Then have big platers of ribeye, seabass and prawns, with fresh salads on the side. Favourite British fruit and vegetable? Rhubarb and asparagus, although I guess that’s 2 vegetables so strawberry and asparagus! Is there anything you hate and/or won’t eat – dish or ingredient? Banana, it’s a no from me