It’s 6am and Richard Robinson’s mind is on the orders he needs to place for the restaurant and pub he owns with wife Rebecca; The White Horse in Haselbury Plucknett. But first, baby Arthur needs attention while Rebecca organises their daughter, Millie for school. At 7.30am the deliveries arrive, the produce is then checked for quality and Richard lights the stoves and ranges. He sorts out what orders need doing and at 8am welcomes his kitchen team. Then its out for a dog walk and run before heading back to the pub ready for lunch time service.
Originally from Swansea, Richard left at the age of 17 to study at art college in Bath, also working in local restaurants when he could. Not long into his second year, during a visit to London to see a friend he got a trial working for the Orrery restaurant in Marylebone. He stayed that night and started working for the restaurant the next day. From there he never looked back, eventually working his way to head chef of the Oxo tower and head chef of the group. All of which, he says, has stood him in good stead to now run his own business.
And it is all going to plan. The couple took over the pub in April 2012 and have since been working hard to get the place running as they want it. They have started refurbishment of the upstairs rooms in order to offer B&B accommodation by the summer. Striving for the best work life balance they can, Richard spends as much time with his family as possible. Every morning they eat breakfast together and also supper at 5pm, keen to find out about Millie’s day at school. Then it’s off to the kitchen again, cooking the food he loves, to the very highest level.
