Simon's mission to deliver top hotel standard cuisine to care home residents

Simon, who has worked alongside Matt Follas, winner of BBC’s Masterchef in 2009, and cooked in the kitchens of the exclusive Monkey Island Estate hotel in the village of Bray, Berkshire, will oversee the dining experience of Kingsley’s three homes in Dorset as well as the company’s flagship Brackley Care Home in the town’s Wellington Road.

A Dorset boy, who went to school in Portland and trained at Weymouth College, Simon's culinary journey has also seen him cook for Prince William and Prince Harry during his spell as a civilian chef in the Army and win prestigious awards while working for other care providers. His aim is to raise care home cuisine to the standard of a top hotel.

The father of three said : "I believe everyone deserves a nutritional, tasty plate of food that looks well presented.

"The challenge for a chef in a care home is that residents are dining in the restaurant 365 days a year so they are the hardest clientele to please."

He said his aim was to deliver the same experience you would enjoy in a restaurant in every way - from the appearance, taste and smell of the food and the touch and feel of the tables to the presentation and service.

"I am passionate about using local produce and at Brackley Care Home we even grow some of our own vegetables," he said.

Simon loves getting to know the residents and has incorporated their preferences in a new three-week menu.

He said : "Slow-cooked braised steak is a big favourite and all the residents love their desserts. That's where chefs can show their flair. Eton Mess goes down well and our lemon meringue roulade is very popular.

"What residents like are simple, basic dishes cooked with flair. If it's cottage pie it has to be the best cottage pie, if it's fish and chips, it has to be the best fish and chips."