THE HEAD chef of a boutique hotel in the Cotswolds is translating his experience on the BBC Masterchef: The Professionals competition onto the plate for customers to enjoy.

Wayne Sullivan, who is head chef at the Old Stocks Inn in Stow-on-the Wold, reached the semi-finals of the competition, broadcast just before Christmas.

He has now used his experiences and skills gained during the TV series to create new à la carte and lunch menus at the popular hotel.

Dishes on the dinner menu include starters of gin cured salmon, cucumber, citrus and crème fraiche; goat’s cheese, beetroot, smoked avocado cream and sable biscuit, and longhorn rump tartare, oyster, apple, yolk and parsley.

Mains include saddle & leg of rabbit, prosciutto, offal, saffron risotto, carrot and milk foam, and Gnocchi with fennel ricotta, rich tomato sauce, baby vegetables, Jersey royal crisps. Desserts include chocolate praline, popcorn and popping candy, and pistachio cake with olive oil, rhubarb and orange.

Wayne said: “This new menu definitely reflects the impact my time on MasterChef: The Professionals has had on me. Cooking dishes for some of the world’s most renowned chefs and food critics, and receiving positive feedback from them, has given me more confidence to try new techniques and work with new ingredients to create bolder dishes and experiment more with flavours.

“Living and working in an area such as the Cotswolds also means you’ve got some of the best local ingredients right here on your doorstep and that in itself provides so much inspiration.

“The team at the Old Stocks Inn has worked hard to capture the flavours of our region, using locally sourced, seasonal produce, to create bold, flavoursome dishes with a twist of the unusual.

“Each member of the team has created one of the dishes on the new menu. For me, it’s vital to have that element of collaboration. We’re looking forward to unveiling the new menu in its entirety to our diners, giving people the chance to enjoy a taste of British cuisine with a quirky twist.”