JAMES Durrant is the chef patron at The Plough Inn in Longparish. The dad appeared last year on BBC2’s Great British Menu for which he was crowned the winner of the main course at a banquet to honour the veterans of D-Day.

His pub is in the top 50 gastropubs in the UK.

James has more than 18 years’ experience working in top class restaurants with more than 10 years spent in Michelin starred establishments. Last month James was appointed as the first food tourism ambassador for Hampshire. The role means he will champion the best dining experiences, talent, suppliers and growers that Hampshire has to offer in a bid to boost tourism in the county.

1. Who was your childhood hero and why? It would have to be Superman because he had a cape! And my dad, of course, because he worked tirelessly to give us a great upbringing.

2. What is your most precious possession and why is it important to you? They aren’t really possessions but my wife and three children are the most important part of my life! And my restaurant – they both support each other! Without the family to motivate me the restaurant wouldn’t work and without the restaurant I couldn’t provide for my family.

3. What was the first record/CD you bought? First record I was bought was Orville’s I wish I could fly. The first tape I bought was Guns N’ Roses’ Appetite for Destruction.

4. What is the radio/television show you hate to miss? Match of the Day.

5. What is your favourite film? Not sure. I generally fall asleep halfway through them all.

6. What is your pet hate? Lack of common sense.

7. What are you reading at the moment? Children’s bedtime stories to my kids mostly or cook books!

8. If you were choosing a last meal, what would it be? Fish and chips, mushy peas and a can of dandelion and burdock.

9. If you could meet anyone from history, who would it be? Sir Winston Churchill.

10. If you had a time machine where would it take you? Back to a place in Singapore called Pongol Point to eat the best Singapore chilli crab ever! (I grew up in Singapore).

11. If you were stranded on a desert island what luxury would you choose to have with you? Cadbury’s Whole Nut Chocolate.

12. What sports team do you support? Liverpool Football Club.

13. What was your first job? Helping my uncle out at weekends and school holidays on a building site and then making pizzas in Pizza Hut.

14. If you could take over someone’s job for the day, whose job would you choose? It would have been Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear but he has lost that job!

15. What worries you the most? Not making everybody happy at my restaurant and not being able to provide for my family.

16. What is your proudest moment? Becoming a father.

17. What would you like your epitaph to be? I’ll leave that to my kids to decide!

18. What’s your guilty pleasure? Bacon Frazzles. I’m slightly addicted.

19. What one thing could change society for the better? Giving people self-belief and a strong work ethic.

20. What three words best describe you? Motivated, hard working, passionate.