Chef News is sponsored by the the Kitchen Porters Club
The Greyhound Inn, a country pub in the North Wessex Downland village of Letcombe Regis near Wantage, Oxfordshire, is excited to announce that Chef John Harrison has joined the management team to lead the kitchen and build on the firm foundations of culinary excellence created by his predecessors.
Our new Head Chef, John Harrison, is a classically trained chef, originally from Preston in Lancashire. John moved to London in 2003 as an apprentice at the National Portrait Gallery’s Portrait Restaurant. After working in various fine dining venues, including Michelin-starred Paul Heathcote at Longridge, he joined Marco Pierre White’s pub group in Oxford before taking up a Head Chef role at Newbury’s Manor House Hotel where he won their second AA Rosette. After another spell in London, he returned to the Newbury area in 2019 to settle with his young family and ran the kitchens in both privately owned venues and larger pub groups.
John’s cooking style is modern British, and his talent is to create beautiful flavours from the simplest of ingredients, using inspiration from chefs such as Marco Pierre White and the late Gary Rhodes. John said of his new appointment: “I am excited to be back in a more family-run business where the emphasis is on carefully sourced ingredients and quality cooking, catering for discerning guests who appreciate good flavours.”
Owner, Catriona Galbraith, agreed: “John will bring fresh ideas and inspiration to our team, and we look forward to delighting our guests with exciting dishes and a regular seasonally changing menu.”
With 2 AA Rosettes and an entry in the Good Food Guide as well as several other accolades, the pub-with-rooms Greyhound Inn, Letcombe Regis has a reputation for great food, served informally with friendly and helpful service.
More about The Greyhound Inn at Letcombe Regis
The Greyhound Inn re-opened as a free house almost 10 years ago in November 2015, after village locals Catriona Galbraith and Martyn Reed bought this once run-down 18th-century inn and spent a year sympathetically renovating and restoring the entire Grade II-listed building and garden. A real community hub, welcoming locals and visitors from further afield, its contemporary rustic bar and adjoining dining spaces are warmed by two wood-burning stoves with cosy nooks to relax with drinks, along with two further dining rooms seating up to 70. There are also private dining and meeting spaces for up to 12 and 16 guests.
Behind the large open oak-panelled bar are carefully chosen real ales, ciders and wines. The constantly changing selection of four real ales showcases some of the best breweries both locally and nationally. Knowledgeable staff are always happy to offer a tasting. Local favourites include Butts, Ramsbury and Little Ox, plus a wide selection of seasonal and guest ales. A local CAMRA winner for five consecutive years, the pub and its ales make for a popular destination for the discerning drinker.
The wine list includes Old and New World wines and English wines such as the sparkling Rathfinny from Sussex. More than 20 are available by the glass or carafe, and 30 by the bottle. The bar also offers two guest ‘Wines of the Moment’ and around 15 gins, including locally made Hawkridge Gin and a rotating seasonal guest gin. Weekend cocktails are also popular, with a fine selection including classics and inventive options like the Crossbow (chocolate orange in a glass).
The good-value modern British menu, led by renowned Head Chef John Harrison, features inventive and ambitious dishes made using fresh, seasonal ingredients, including daily deliveries of responsibly sourced fresh fish and seafood, and meat and game from specialist butchers. Local producers and partners are used where possible, and the team forages from the surrounding area for ingredients such as wild garlic, elderflowers and wild damsons.
For great value, the fixed-price ‘Lunch for Less’ Menu is available Monday to Friday from noon to 2:30pm. The menu includes two courses for £26 per person and three courses for £32. On Wednesday evenings, the ‘Midweek Fix’ two-course menu at £22 is very popular with locals. With 2 AA Rosettes and an entry in the Good Food Guide, guests can be assured of a memorable and delightful experience.
The garden is a special feature of the pub, surrounded by a rose-clad red-brick wall and featuring picnic benches with parasols and dining tables under a large stretch-tent canopy with step-free access. In summer, the pub hosts live music and outdoor cooking at its Summer Garden Parties, held on the Spring and August Bank Holiday Mondays. These relaxed events are a big draw, offering hearty food such as hog roast, giant paella, or BBQ dishes.
General Manager James Cameron and his well-trained, friendly and efficient team welcome visitors from afar as well as locals, walkers, cyclists, riders, families and dogs. Doggy treats and water bowls are available at the bar, and three dog-friendly bedrooms are offered for overnight stays. A dog bed, water bowl, treat box and towel for muddy paws are provided for an extra £20 per night.
The Greyhound’s eight comfortable and individually decorated guest rooms, all en-suite, include stylish country chic finishes. Luxurious Hypnos beds, feather/down or hypo-allergenic bedding, crisp white sheets and faux fur throws ensure comfort, while locally sourced vintage and antique furnishings and soft furnishings add charm. Rooms range from a small double to Super Kingsize suites accommodating families of up to five. Bathrooms feature rain showers, Bramley toiletries, and some include glamourous roll-top baths. All rooms come with tea and coffee-making facilities, fresh milk and homemade biscuits. Rates range from £105 to £190 per night for B&B for two people year-round.
Breakfast includes traditional Full English with dry-cured streaky bacon, Arlington White eggs, local sausages and black pudding, plus homemade Hollandaise dishes and more unusual options like Shakshuka (Vegetarian), and pesto and pine-nut on sourdough (Vegan). Meats, cheeses, homemade breads and pastries, specialty teas and Oxford Coffee Company coffee are also available. The breakfast has an AA award for quality and innovation.
The Greyhound Inn, Letcombe Regis, has been awarded ‘Best Destination Pub’ in the Muddy Stilettos Awards 2023 and 2018 for Bucks and Oxfordshire, and was a finalist in the Oxfordshire Food Awards (2020–2024).
This thriving village hotspot has also been reviewed by national newspapers including The Times, Telegraph, i and Daily Mail, and features in the Michelin Guide, Good Food Guide, Good Hotel Guide and Good Beer Guide.
Chef News is sponsored by the the Kitchen Porters Club
