RIVER Cottage cookery school has built an impressive back catalogue of chefs and Tom Blake is no stranger to the opportunities it can provide.

The 31-year-old chef joined River Cottage in 2009 as a head chef and, during his two years at the Axminster- based school, he was able to train up-and-coming chefs as well as be a right-hand man to TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

The unusual food combinations produced at the school inspired Mr Blake, who joined Draco Pubs Company as an executive chef in 2011, when he oversaw the kitchens at The Swan at Wedmore and The White Hart at Somerton.

Mr Blake has now compiled the menu for the newly-revamped Timbrell’s Yard in Bradford on Avon, which opened last month.

He hopes to replicate his previous successes in his menu choices and said: “We have tried to give people a couple of comforting options but give them a twist.

“We have a very simple food philosophy, which is to use the best food available.”

The menu is divided into different sections including small starters, salads, mains, sides and desserts all ranging in price and portion size.

Mr Blake said he hopes the wide range of food, which includes a daily specials board, will attract much of its trade from the town, which is very popular for cafe dwellers.

He said: “We haven’t aimed for any particularly market when crafting a menu, except it being for Bradford on Avon itself.

“I think we are trying to fill this big gap in the town which already has a popular cafe culture. All the cafes are busy and we want to follow on from that whether people come here for lunch or food in the evening.”

The quality of ingredients is a top priority for the chef, with all the food being predominantly organic and sourced locally.

He said: “Timbrell’s Yard is a very informal setting and in all of the places, we try to do something interesting. We want to offer people nice food but not in a pretentious way at all.

“The things we use are the same produce as Michelin-starred restaurants but it is presented in a less pretentious way.”

Mr Blake will shortly hand over the reins to head chef Ricky Ford, before moving onto a different venture for Draco Pubs Company.

For more information about Mr Blake and Timbrell’s Yard, visit: www.timbrellsyard.com.