Chris Barnes and Tom Wilson, who own The Hoddington Arms at Upton Grey, talk AI, Chinese takeaway and their special partnership in our meet the chef column.

What first inspired you to become a chef?

Chris: "I've always enjoyed cooking, and my career advisor at school encouraged me to pursue something I was passionate about. My mother was also a wonderful cook, which definitely influenced me."

Tom: "Ironically, it was my fear of trying new foods! As a child, I wasn't adventurous at all. I loved the idea of trying new things but could never bring myself to do it. I decided to become a chef to force myself to change that habit, and now I absolutely love food!"

What was the first meal you cooked for someone else?

Chris: "I used to host dinner parties for my family. One of my early successes was a lamb recipe from Gordon Ramsay's Passion for Flavour, my first cookbook, which my cousin gave me for Christmas."

Tom: "A full English breakfast with fried bread for my dad, who loves it cooked in proper lard!"

Tell us a bit about your career so far…

Chris: "I trained at BCOT, where I first met Tom over two decades ago, we instantly clicked and he became my closest friend. After college, I was at Café Roux in Amsterdam, then worked at Lainston House before spending a year at JSW in Petersfield, which held a Michelin star but sadly closed a few years back. I returned to Lainston House before opening The Crown in Old Basing, where Tom and I worked side by side. That partnership has been the foundation of everything we've achieved. In 2015, my wife Fallon and I joined forces with Tom to take over The Hoddington Arms, turning years of collaboration and shared dreams into reality. We've been fortunate to build something truly special."

On the menu at The Hoddington Arms (Image: The Hoddington Arms)

Tom: "While at college, I worked at The Queen Inn in Dummer and completed a placement at Auberge des Trois Noce in France. I worked at Lainston House before joining Chris at The Crown in Old Basing."

What is your proudest career moment to date?

Chris: "Building a business that supports my family and our team, supporting two great charities, StreetSmart and St Michael's Hospice; creating a stable workforce, and building a genuinely happy place to work."

Tom: "Being included in the Michelin Guide and Good Food Guide every single year since we opened."

What is your signature dish?

Chris and Tom: "If we had to choose, it would be our Tunworth twice-baked soufflé with root vegetable crisps and rich cheese sauce and slow cooked Belly Pork which changes with the seasons and rarely come off the menu. It’s great quality pork belly from Walter Rose & Sons who source all of their pork from one farm in Wiltshire….. it’s also on every Sunday as a roast."

What is your favourite dish currently on your menu?

Chris: "For me, the halibut is perfect. It is so fresh."

Tom: "Stokes Marsh Farm Slow Braised Beef Blade with truffle oil and parmesan chips, roasted portobello mushroom, confit vine tomato with a rich peppercorn sauce and a watercress and pickled shallot salad."

Inside The Hoddington Arms (Image: The Hoddington Arms)

Where is your favourite place to eat in Hampshire?

Chris: "If I had the chance, my favourite would be Pulpo Negro."

What is your favourite meal to cook at home?

Chris: "A proper roast dinner, especially Christmas dinner for the family."

Tom: "My kids' favourite tomato pasta dish. It's very simple, but the joy they have eating it means everything to me."

What do you like to drink with dinner?

Chris: "A cold beer, a good red or white wine, or a glass of Hattingley Valley wine from Hampshire."

Tom: "Depends what I'm having for dinner, but a nice glass of wine or a cold lager usually hits the spot."

What is your culinary guilty pleasure?

Chris: "Chinese takeaway on a Sunday night at the end of the week. And I don't feel guilty if I occasionally have a McDonald's!"

Tom: "It's got to be either cheese and beans on toast with a fried egg on top, or a full English breakfast with all the works."

On the menu at The Hoddington Arms (Image: The Hoddington Arms)

Which key ingredient is always in your fridge?

Chris and Tom: "Butter, lemons, sherry vinegar, salt, and garlic."

What is your favourite Hampshire ingredient?

Chris and Tom: "Tunworth cheese, Hydes cyder, bread from Street Bake Shop."

What's your career ambition?

Chris: "To continue growing The Hoddington Arms while maintaining the standards that have earned us recognition. Fallon, Tom, and I want to keep pushing our cooking forward while staying true to what makes us special, being a proper family-run pub where everyone feels welcome. Most importantly, to look after our staff and customers."

Tom: "To carry on being successful, to eventually retire, and maybe find the time to actually go and eat at another restaurant!"

What do you think will be the next big restaurant trend?

Chris: "It's already started, a shift back to real customer-focused cooking. Simple dishes using hard-earned technical skills to elevate ingredients."

Tom: "AI in restaurants, its only a matter of time."