Cotswolds chef Matt Laughton has taken over the kitchen at The Horseshoes gastropub in Witney

Mr Laughton joins from Bakery on the Water at Bourton-on-the-Water and was previously head chef at the renowned Swan Inn, Swinbrook.

Before that he worked at Daylesford Organic, award-wining Russell’s Restaurant in Broadway, and The Marsh Goose in Moreton-in-Marsh.

He said: “It feels great to be at The Horseshoes in a kitchen that shares my values towards food. The pub already has a great reputation for modern hearty pub food that’s big on flavour and strong sourcing local produce which is what I love to do.

"We’re lucky to have an abundance of amazing local produce on our doorstep it’s a very exciting time.”

Signature dishes he has added to the menu include Blue Monday Polenta, garlic mushrooms, Cacklebean fried egg, hazelnuts and Hooky and double Gloucester rarebit on toasted brioche with red onion chutney .

The Horseshoes and its sister pub over the road, The Hollybush, are owned by Luke Champion and Alex Vaughn who took over the Horseshoes in 2019 and have renovated the pub, one of the oldest in Witney.

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Mr Champion added: “It’s fantastic to have Matt on board to take the food here to the next level. He has an amazing track record as head chef at some of the best pubs and restaurants in the Cotswolds and we can’t wait to see what he’ll do here."

Chef Simon Bradley joined The Hollybush in December 2020 from De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel, where he was executive head chef and previously The Randolph’s three AA Rosettes restaurant in Oxford and Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir.