A MAN who started his career by studying hotel and catering management at Worcester College of Technology has taken over as head chef at the Inn at Stonehall, on Stonehall Common, near Worcester.

Scores of guests sampled Dwight Clayton’s cooking when he and his team prepared a free running buffet.

Mr Clayton was head chef at the Glasshouse Brasserie, in Worcester, where he liaised with Shaun Hill, helping him achieve a two-rosette award for fine food, with recommendations in the Michelin Good Food Guide and excellent reviews.

He was a finalist in the Young Chef of the Year competition in 2001 and four years later won Academy Culinaire Francaise awards for excellence in pastry.

More recently, he has been consultant to Pegoty Hedge Farm, developing recipes for a series of ready-made organic meaty dishes, using flavoursome and unusual cuts with great success.

With his team at Stonehall, he is creating a menu he says is inspired by the flavours of fresh local ingredients. The emphasis is on his ability to produce high-quality dishes that are all home-made.