Rob Howell, Head Chef, The Pony & Trap

Rob Howell is head chef at the Michelin-starred restaurant The Pony and Trap, Chew Magna. Working closely with chef patron and Great British Menu finalist Josh Eggleton, they serve seasonal tasting menus showcasing the best of South West food.

The Staff Canteen spoke to Rob about his passion for seafood, the biggest inspirations in his career and what it was like working in a chalet kitchen.

• How is Josh Eggleton helping the Sustainable Restaurant Association?
• When did Josh Eggleton open the Pony & Trap?
• Who is Holly Eggleton, Front of House, Pony & Trap?

Why did you want to become a chef?

When I was 14 I thought it would be cool to work in a kitchen, so I got a job working weekends in a local restaurant. It was pretty simple, just plating up desserts and prepping, but from there I moved on to Goodfellows, a respected seafood restaurant in Somerset, where I worked with some great chefs. That’s when I realised this was what I was going to do.

Where did your passion for fish and seafood come from?

Seafood was at the heart of what I did at Goodfellows and it was what got me the job working with Pascal Proyart at Restaurant One-O-One when I turned 18 and decided to move to London, which I thought was the next obvious step. After that, I moved to Edinburgh and having heard that Ondine was one of the best fish restaurants in Scotland, I knew I had to work there.  These places showcased some of the best seafood in the world. Using such immaculate, fresh ingredients totally changed my perspective on food. At Ondine we ordered seafood twice daily; langoustines the size of my forearm, Scottish lobsters, Orkney scallops, cockles, clams, razor clams… it was amazing! Now at The Pony & Trap I ensure we source produce of a similarly high standard.

 What made you want to travel to France to run a kitchen in a chalet?

At the time I thought it would be something different, another type of cooking for me to experiment with. I didn’t go there with the intention of running the kitchen, but due to other people dropping out I ended up in charge, and it was a great experience. Plus who doesn’t want to be in Courchevel and go skiing every day?

 What did you learn from that experience?

It was a great experience, but it didn’t really further my career. I realised that I wanted to better myself and that I missed a proper, busy kitchen. This is why I moved to Edinburgh to work with Roy Brett at one of the finest restaurants in Scotland.

Having worked in some of the top establishments specialising in seafood, how does that compare to working somewhere like The Pony & Trap?

It was a bit of a shock. I knew I’d worked in some great places, but my experience was still pretty minimal and very tailored towards fish. I’d never really worked with venison or game birds, so turning up on my first week to see twenty pheasants hanging on the back porch was all new to me. Now, after being here for three and a half years, the amount of produce and dishes we’ve worked with is crazy. It’s really broadened my experience as we’re always experimenting, and now I can’t think of much I haven’t cooked.

How did your role at The Pony & Trap come about, did Josh approach you?

I moved away from the South West when I was quite young, and was thinking about moving back to the Bristol area. I remembered hearing about The Pony & Trap when Josh first won the Michelin Star, and I had never realised how close it was to where I grew up. I emailed to see if they needed anyone in the kitchen, and two weeks later Josh phoned me up and invited me down for a trial. I actually flew down from Edinburgh on my days off and decided I definitely wanted to work here.

How are you finding your role as head chef?

Arriving at The Pony & Trap three years ago, I never thought I would end up as head chef; I didn’t even know I was capable of it. These past three years have been the most difficult of my career, and having worked so hard to get where I am now, I feel I am in a position to run the kitchen. After working with Josh, I truly feel that I understand and appreciate food in a whole different sense. I love coming up with new ideas and trying to create perfectly balanced dishes on the menu. Working with the apprentices and new members of staff is also great as I wasn’t there myself that long ago.

Can you tell us a little bit more about your daily routine?

It’s difficult as every day is different. The chefs get in first thing and crack on with prep, which is when we try and get the bulk of everything done. Early in the week I try to find time to work on new dishes after lunch service, but at the weekend there’s no chance of this. We take it in turns to cook staff meals, and all try to sit down together to eat at around 5pm, but on other days we send someone down to Salt & Malt for fish and chips which we have to eat on the go. Service is a bit more intense in the evenings as we do a lot more tasting menus and the menu increases slightly. We’ve got a brand new kitchen, so the end of the night we make sure it’s in top nick. We always finish the day with a pint.

What is it like working with Josh Eggleton?

Working for Josh is great. We’ve always got on, and we both love talking about food. He’s always really busy, jumping from one idea to the next, so I’ve learned to get to the point straight away. He’s also encouraged me to use my initiative, which has made me a lot more confident in my own decisions. It’s also great to work on weddings, food demos, festivals, private events, guest chefs nights, and new restaurants, which is all part of working with Josh.

How do you work on the menu, is it a team effort or does Josh have the final say?

It’s a collaborative process. It usually starts with a process or an ingredient we want to use, everyone makes suggestions, then we work on the dish until we’re happy with it, usually tweaking it a few times. We’re always changing our dishes to keep them interesting. Josh is always involved, and will always have his say, but we’ve reached the point now where I know what he wants.

How has your style of food and approach evolved since being at The Pony & Trap?

Massively. The way I think about food is completely different and it has become everything to me. The thing I love about The Pony & Trap is its style of cooking; I think it’s a great thing when you can see a clear style in a restaurant’s food. As a chef I’ve got a clear sense of what I like to cook and how to approach it.

What are your plans for the future?

I definitely want to work abroad again at some point, just to experience a different food culture. Eventually I want to settle down in the South West and my dream is to open my own restaurant.