IF you ask Lainston House’s new head chef Olly Rouse if he has a signature dish you will get an interesting reply.

He hasn’t, but he has a very clear idea about what makes a great meal.

“It’s all about the flavours and using ingredients that are at their best and available at a particular time,” he said.

“I don’t have a spreadsheet with a list showing what is in season at a particular time as every year varies.”

This year Olly says some fish species are available much later in the season because of the warm summer which has led to slightly warmer seas off the coast.

This was reflected in our menu, which saw mackerel with potato salad, parsley and cottage cheese followed by turbot, winter cabbage, salsify and potato puree.

The fish is landed by Cornish day boats but sourcing seafood in such a fresh and sustainable way has a drawback, in that continuity of supply can never be guaranteed.

If the weather is too bad the fishing boats don’t set sail!

The combination of flavours chosen by Olly revealed just how much work and thought goes into these dishes.

A starter of wild mushroom risotto, truffle and blue cheese again revealed the chef’s philosophy of seeking the best available with the variety mushrooms available at the moment in such sublime condition such a dish might not be available in the summer.

The milk chocolate parfait’s sugar syrup base was offset by the pistachio and combined with the olive oil cake and orange and resulted, as the name suggests, in the ‘perfect’ dessert.

Olly is overseeing all of Lainston House’s food and beverage offerings including the award-winning Avenue restaurant (3 AA rosettes).

He has the benefit of a fine kitchen garden inside the magnificent 17th century building’s 63 acres – just 25 minutes’ drive from Andover.

Although he has only been in the post for a few weeks, he has been closely involved in choosing the varieties that the garden will grow to provide for his needs in the coming seasons. Olly added: Our surroundings will be our inspiration to drive the food in the restaurant.

“We will embrace our Kitchen Garden and set out to utilise all it produces, with interesting combinations created to intrigue and give the feel-good factor.

“Diners can expect dishes which are complex in flavour and texture, with simple yet elegant presentation.”

Olly brings a wealth of experience; he was previously head chef at Coworth Park where he helped achieve a series of accolades including a Michelin star within its first year of opening and 3 AA rosettes.

His other experience includes The Vineyard at Stockcross, near Newbury, as sous chef and Pétrus under Gordon Ramsay Holdings as well as stages at Le Meurice and The Fat Duck.

Lainston House is a charming country house hotel that stands in beautiful Hampshire parkland with 50 individually designed bedrooms.

Steve Dancey