Winchester has become the county's capital for celebrity chefs and restaurant chains - but will too many cooks spoil the broth?

He named it his favourite shop in the city, and the manager wants everyone to know. That is the power of celebrity cooks in Hampshire's food capital.

Celebrity restaurants are synonymous with the city's reputation as the place to eat, even if famous faces like Stein don't quite compare to icons like King Alfred.

Walk through the small town centre and you will see upwards of 40 restaurants and cafes. Raymond Blanc and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall are among the names in lights, while Wagamama, Côte Brasserie, Palm Pan Asia, The Stable, Pi Woodfired and Shanghai Papa all set up shop last year. Even England rugby star Chris Robshaw owns a cafe.

But independent outlets fear the influx of national chains which has accompanied the star appeal will kill what makes Winchester special. Will too many cooks spoil the broth?

"There's massive competition," says Miff Kayum, who runs three restaurants in the city: Kyoto Kitchen, Bangkok Brasserie and Bengal Sage.

"I'm hoping that people in the independent sector will be able to adapt their business model to the different landscape and won't go out of business. Already we're seeing people go out of business."

The city's dining capacity has increased by half over the last 18 months, according to Mr Kayum's own figures, driven by chains like Wagamama and Côte which have renovated large buildings.

Mr Kayum estimates there were around 2,000 seats in July 2014 and more than 3,000 by the end of 2015.

"The independent sector has brought up that reputation in the first place, it's what's made it attractive to the big names," he says. "But I think the locals know that and they've got the right attitude to ethics and they can understand that connection between local restaurants and local people."

Online travel guide TripAdvisor makes encouraging reading for independents. They make up nine of the 10 top-rated restaurants, and there's no room for Brasserie Blanc or Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage Canteen.

One celebrity venture was swallowed up by the competition entirely. Jamie Oliver's ill-fated Union Jacks closed in 2014, less than two years after its vaunted launch in the High Street.

The nostalgic restaurant drew derision for its steep prices and unusual dishes, such as pizza with pork crackling on top. A big name isn't everything.

At least three major food chains have pulled out of takeovers in the city centre in the past year. The future of a prime unit on the corner of Jewry Street, currently a hairdresser, is understood to be up in the air after a deal with Gourmet Burger Kitchen fell through.

Many business figures feel Winchester has reached a tipping point. Catherine Turness, Winchester's leading industry lobbyist, is urging the council to limit the number of restaurants on side streets where shops are often struggling.

"We're really supportive and trying to protect our independents, because that's what we worry about," said Ms Turness, executive director of Winchester Business Improvement District (BID).

"Eighteen months ago we didn't have that problem, then all of a sudden Rick Stein's here, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's here and off the back of that we've got great PR campaigns.

"It comes to managing that success."

Even foodies cooking at home see Winchester as the place to go. Every other Sunday it hosts what is widely regarded as one of Britain's best farmers' markets. Trade body Hampshire Fare has 350 members and many of them are from the city and surrounding areas.

"Hampshire Fare has been very successful in promoting the extraordinary range of local produce," said Cllr Stephen Godfrey, leader of Winchester City Council. "I think that the excellent range and number of restaurants in Winchester, catering for all tastes, reflects that."

Some independent eateries are adapting their menus and opening hours or narrowing their specialism to cope with the shifting landscape. Others are collaborating with each other – Ollie Moore, head chef at the Michelin-starred Black Rat, is taking over Kyoto Kitchen for one night only to try his hand at Japanese cooking.

Initiatives like Winchester Cocktail Week, which takes place next month, are also bringing businesses together, with a unique drink available in each outlet alongside masterclasses and tastings.

Cllr Godfrey adds: "At the end of the day, if we've reached saturation point some of these restaurants will find it difficult to turn a profit. They don't seem to be going away too quickly. "I'm delighted that we have all these wonderful restaurants, some of which are unique to this part of England."

This is down to the "discerning nature of diners in Winchester," he says. "They are very appreciative of excellent food."