I lunched on Tuesday at The Goose, in Britwell Salome, which will surprise the more foodie-minded of my readers since the restaurant is closed. Famously closed. Newspaper readers all over Britain learned of the sudden walkout on a Saturday morning in early February of chef Ryan Simpson and his whole team, after a “disagreement” – as owner Paul Castle put it – over the style of food on offer. This was just three weeks after the Michelin Man honoured the place with a star.

Having met – and liked – Ryan when I dined at The Goose early in his days there, my initial sympathy was with him. It does, on the face of it, seem pretty strange that a chef should be ordered to alter the style of food (“too poncey” was the criticism, alleged the chef) that had earned an important accolade.

Now that I have met Paul Castle, I like him, too, and understand where he is coming from. Since, according to him, the popularity of the place had halved in one year (from 10,000 covers in one 12-months to 5,000 the next) one can see why he wished to see change.

“What Ryan did was great for us.” Paul said. “He told the world that we were closing down and would be opening again after a refurbishment.”

Paul’s eye now is on the future, with another young chef, John Footman, recruited as a partner in the business and ready to open the doors to the first customers on April 4.

Any fears of a violent descent down market (chicken in the basket, anyone?) will be eliminated as customers look over John’s new menu.

Our lunch on Tuesday offered some of its star items, almost all of which I tasted and enjoyed. One starter was pan-seared Cornish scallops, with lemon curd dressing (a first for me), fennel and coriander salad. The other was velouté of Jerusalem artichoke with spinach and herb tortellini. Main course choice was between meunière of lemon sole with parsnip purée, cockles, clams and samphire, and – for the more robust appetite – belly of Red Lion Farm pork with potato purée and Savoy cabbage choucroute. Puddings were banana tarte Tatin with peanut butter ice-cream and lime caramel, and passion fruit soufflé with bitter chocolate sorbet.

The excellence of the food (and it was excellent) will be understood in terms of John’s background. His pedigree includes periods of work with Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, in Great Milton; at L’Ortolan, in Shinfield, near Reading; and, most recently, with Michael North at The Nut Tree, in Murcott, which also possesses a Michelin star.

Michael, it will probably be remembered, first gained a star – and at 24 was the youngest chef in the country to do so – when he ran the kitchen at The Goose. Notice something unusual, something almost cyclical going on here, where three chefs in turn – Mike, Matthew Tompkinson and Ryan – have all earned a star?

In fact, The Goose has rarely been out of the news down the years. I could recommend its story as being suitable for a television programme – or perhaps even a series of programmes.

Leaving aside the present rumpus, highlights might include when – as The Red Lion – it was saved from permanent closure in 1993 by the action of a determined group of locals. Brakspear’s brewery wanted to sell it for conversion into a house. A vigorous campaign led to the refusal of permission for a change of use, and its eventual sale to the first free-trade owners.

Five years later came the arrival of Stephen Barber – direct from a stint of 11 years as personal chef to the Prince of Wales at Highgrove, and, indeed, when the heir to the throne was on his many trips away from home.

His laudable aim was to offer food in “a warm, friendly informal pub atmosphere”. That sounds very like the ambition Paul Castle expressed to me on Tuesday.