Since taking over three years ago, Nick Deverell-Smith has transformed The Churchill Arms into a destination venue for foodies across the South West and further afield. The Worcester News’ Michael Purton took a trip to the pub in Paxford, near Chipping Campden, to enjoy dinner and an overnight stay.

In the world of food, Nick Deverell-Smith is a rising star. With recent appearances on TV’s Great British Menu and Saturday Kitchen, he has cultivated a reputation as a chef who specialises in giving delicious twists to British classics.

So it’s no surprise that his pub-cum-restaurant-cum-hotel, the Churchill Arms, attracts visitors from not only the picturesque Paxford and Chipping Campden, but across Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and even London.

After training under some of the best chefs in the industry – including Marco Pierre White, Eric Chavot and Gordon Ramsey, before becoming head chef of the Soho House Group – Nick decided to strike out on his own and revive the Churchill Arms, which dates all the way back to the 17th Century, providing a menu of classic dishes with modern touches.

My partner and I visited on a Sunday night, taking our 14-month-old son along for the trip. The Churchill has four guest rooms which, although not the biggest and thus not ideal for a baby who loves plenty of space to explore and wreak havoc, are stylishly decorated (wooden beams sit comfortably above modern luxuries like a flatscreen TV and personal espresso machines, while the bathroom has chic fittings and the Bramley toiletries are a touch of class) and offer beautiful views across the village and wider countryside.

At this point, it’s only fair to note that the Churchill is not a hotel – it’s essentially a pub-restaurant which offers rooms for those who decide they don’t want to travel home after eating and drinking too much! – so it would be unjust to criticise the smallish size of the rooms and lack of wardrobes. However, on the February night we stayed, it was icy cold and the single radiator and plug-in heater did struggle to warm up the room, but that’s to be expected somewhat from a building of the Churchill’s age.

On the topic of the building, the Churchill – which sits on a sharp corner at the heart of Paxford and has only on-street parking – is a striking sight, the quintessential Cotswold village inn, and faces a historic church and sprawling green fields which offered a lovely walk on a brisk winter’s day. Inside, the décor is a mix of traditional country pub complete with a fireplace and snug and, in the main dining area, a more contemporary feel with silver-grey walls, scarlet and burgundy benches and chairs, tartan curtains and cushions and canvases of country scenes. It’s certainly eye-catching in its contrast.

After arriving and settling in to our room, we took our son down to the restaurant at around 5pm so he could have his tea – apple, crackers and vegetable wraps, courtesy of our household’s own head chef, his mum – while we enjoyed a glass of Prosecco and a pint of cider, and the staff could not have been more welcoming and accommodating, especially as this particular 14-month-old hasn’t quite mastered the art of table manners, or even keeping his food on the table, just yet.

After a warm greeting from owner Nick, we were served by a waiter who had moved to the area from Italy and who clearly had a real passion for his work, delighting in entertaining our son and even offering to bring out some complimentary food for him, as well as chatting with us knowledgeably about the Churchill and surrounding area, and making sure we were happy with our room. He was also our waiter for dinner, after we’d settled Billie in his cot and ensured the baby monitor was working, and once again he set an example of how to do the job perfectly.

Perfect is also the word I’d use to describe the food. The Churchill offers a Sunday menu with two courses for £25 and three for £29.50, with a great range of dishes. Among them is pork T-bone with apple, crackling, roast potato and greens; and pan fried sea bass with savoy cabbage and bacon, and mussels sauce.

The mention of mussels prompted my partner to be one of those awkward customers who asks whether she can have a dish that isn’t actually on the menu, and, unsurprisingly given the quality of service at the Churchill, the chef was more than happy to deliver the mussels she desired for her main course, as they’d arrived fresh that day for the general dinner menu. Indeed, the kitchen team at the Churchill pride themselves on sourcing their food locally, and you can really taste that freshness.

For my main, I opted for Churchill’s rare roast beef with roast potatoes, greens and Yorkshire pudding. To start, I chose the chicken liver parfait with balsamic onion and toast, while she had the local leeks, forest mushrooms and mustard dressing with hazelnuts. To finish, I took on the chocolate tart with ice cream while she, full from the generous portions of the starter and main, went for locally sourced salted caramel ice cream. To drink, I stuck to the Stowford on tap while she was loyal to the Prosecco (NV Spumante, Porte Leone, £27 a bottle).

As you can tell, the food was incredible. Each dish was faultless in both taste and presentation, and all I can say is that it’s no surprise that Nick is an increasingly celebrated chef. We both agreed that it was the best meal we’d had in a long time.

After a great night’s sleep in the super king size bed, with our son not waking up once (he must have sensed how content his parents were!), all three of us made the most of breakfast in the morning, filling up on the buffet of cereals and breads as well as the cooked offering – I went for scrambled eggs and salmon on sourdough toast, and she had the wild berries porridge. We then headed out for a walk across the aforementioned fields, as recommended by the helpful day shift manager, before returning to the Churchill where we enjoyed reading over coffee in the bar while Billie went down for a nap. It was the perfect relaxing end to a fantastic overall experience.

If you’re looking for fantastic food in a cosy country pub setting, I can’t recommend the Churchill Arms highly enough. The option to stay overnight (£120 for a room) is an added bonus and, although the rooms are fairly small, they are stylish and comfortable and perfect if you’re just there for one night.

The Churchill is well worth the trip.