Ross is an ingredient-centred chef who lets great produce do the talking. His cooking is precise, generous and firmly rooted in the seasons, with a clear preference for locally produced ingredients wherever possible. He designs menus that feel effortless for guests yet are meticulously planned behind the scenes—balancing flavour, texture and temperature so every plate lands at its peak. Seasonality drives his thinking. In summer, he’ll champion Kentish strawberries, often in tandem with the pastry section—most memorably in Crystal’s Strawberry Daiquiri dessert. He loves Scottish girolles, cooked quickly in clarified butter and served alongside fillet of beef for a pure, woodsy hit. And he has a soft spot for baby beetroot, roasted with garlic, thyme, sherry vinegar and Suffolk rapeseed oil; the residual oil and beet juices are whisked into a dressing that brings the whole dish together. Ross’s menus read like a tour of British produce with a few well-judged twists. A recent line-up opened with Isle of Wight heirloom tomatoes cured in a miso dressing, paired with burrata, green tomato ketchup and garlic croutons—bright, clean and quietly addictive. For the main course, roast sea bass arrived on a cuttlefish and chorizo ragout with spinach and an inky cuttlefish sauce: elegant, deeply savoury and perfectly balanced. Dessert played on nostalgia with a playful “Twister” lemon and lime parfait, roasted pineapple, raspberry sorbet and a crisp of pineapple for texture. Dietary requirements are designed in from the start, never tacked on. With careful planning and thoughtful ingredient choices, Ross ensures that guests with specific needs enjoy the same culinary experience as everyone else—equal in craft, flavour and presentation. Sustainability is woven into his method. Stocks for sauces are made in-house, using trim from meat and vegetables to maximise flavour and minimise waste. Shells from crustaceans become robust shellfish stock and a richly aromatic roasted shellfish oil for finishing dishes. Surplus herbs are blitzed into a vivid green oil that adds brightness to plates while reducing waste in the fridge. He’s loyal to trusted suppliers. For fruit and vegetables, 2-Serve at New Covent Garden Market (led by Josh Watkins and team) provides a steady stream of best-in-season UK produce. For meat, Conisbee’s butchers supply locally reared beef, lamb and turkeys alongside carefully sourced specialities—their sausages, Ross will tell you, are among the finest he’s tasted. Ask him to name the dish that never fails to start a conversation, and he’ll pick a classic: a perfectly cooked soufflé. It’s a cliché he’s happy to embrace—when executed with precision, it lifts the room and reminds everyone why craft matters. That, ultimately, is Ross’s hallmark: a disciplined kitchen, beautiful ingredients and food that speaks clearly, confidently and in season.