A CELEBRITY chef who has appeared on a BBC cooking show has been appointed in the kitchen at a Blackdown Hills pub.

Charlotte Vincent, who has a passion for sourcing local produce, has taken on the role of head chef at The Candlelight Inn, in Bishopswood, near Chard.

Charlotte, who has been on the Great British Menu twice, began her culinary career with the army before working alongside Michael Caines.

Here food is described as modern British with influence from Scandinavian and French cuisines, however her passion for local produce is something owner Mike Rose is proud to promote at The Candlelight Inn.

He said: "It has been said that food is the way to the heart and we have always believed in good food from professional, passionate chefs with forward thinking, new ideas.

"Having Charlotte join the team is a chance to bring beautiful, high quality new dishes to our menu.

"We are very excited about this next chapter in the Candlelight Inn story and we welcome Charlotte with open arms.”

Charlotte completed a Masters in psychology and human biology at the University of Plymouth before joining the Royal Logistics Corp of the British Army, then working as a pastry chef with Michael Caines at Gidleigh Park, after which she went to The Royal Clarence Hotel.

She said: "I'm so happy to be part of the Candlelight team.

"I have admired them over the years, and this is now a chance for me to put my stamp on the Candlelight experience.

"I am excited to make the most of their beautiful home grown herbs and vegetables.

"The team are a talented bunch who I am looking forward to producing incredible food with.”

Charlotte says it is her mission to create a fully inclusive and calm kitchen where everyone is treated equally and taught professionally.

She is one of few female head chefs in the region and is setting a strong example to others who are interested in joining the industry.

The 17th century Candlelight Inn, judged by The Guardian as one of the top 10 pubs on Somerset, won its first AA rosette in 2022 and has been a Taste of the West gold winners for the last five years.