Ian Webber: Executive head chef, The Farmers Arms, The Collective at Woolsery, North Devon.
What is your earliest food memory?
Oxtail soup. I didn’t like it and refused to eat it, but neither my mum or I was giving in!
How would you describe your approach to food?
It’s ingredient focused, a celebration of incredible natural ingredients, ethically grown and raised with a clear focus on great flavour supported by the extensive use of herbs throughout all our dishes.
Who’s your food hero, a chef who’s inspired you?
My food hero is Jan Billington, owner of The Edible Flower Garden in Budleigh Salterton. She helped give me a better understanding of how herbs and flowers can be used to achieve delicious interesting flavours, grown naturally in our location, without the need to import lemons, oranges, pineapples etc. A chef would be Dan Barber of Blue Hill in upstate New York. His book The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food should be compulsory reading for all young chefs.
A favourite dining out spot in Devon?
My garden at home eating vegetables, salads and herbs grown there. I stay in Woolsery three nights per week, then drive home to see my family, so once I’m there it is hard to get me to leave!
What do you love most about Devon?
The wildlife, nature, rugged coastline, amazing hills, moors, woodland and the greatingredients produced on our farm. And it’s home, where my family is.
A down-time/go-to meal you like to cook/eat at home?
One pot chicken, everything cooked in a cast iron pot or smokey beer can, chicken on the barbecue, made with Devonshire cider instead of beer!
