Food and Drink / Lancashire Chef Profiles / Ash Rehman

Ash Rehman

Head Chef at The Red Pump Inn, Bashall Eaves near Clitheroe

Ash really is a "good local food" enthusiast. After his chef training in the late 80's and early 90's in Cheshire, he worked his way through the chef ranks in several one, two and three AA Rosette awarded establishments in Cheshire, Lancashire and Cumbria. Ash settled into his role as Head Chef in one of Lancashire's oldest inn's, The Red Pump Inn at Bashall Eaves near Clitheroe in spring 2007.

With a passion for using excellent local produce, Ash relishes the challenges that seasonal produce brings; whether it be for the abundant robust game dishes in the winter, fantastic spring Bowland lamb or the light fish dishes of summer, The Red Pump's menu and Ash's direction of this always has a local produce theme, which is important to the small team at the Red Pump Inn.

Ash comments, "using local produce is not a new concept, it's been championed for many years by the best restaurants and dining pubs throughout the country and it's great that more and more customers demand this as part of their eating-out experience. Good local food should really be the norm rather than the exception and I believe that if we choose the best of local seasonal ingredients we really cannot fail to create great tasting dishes whether simple and hearty or creative and complex.

"Lancashire really does have great produce and I love the fact that I can see the farm that my extra-matured beef comes from and go and pick the herbs from our garden to use in dishes that afternoon! That's what good food is about to me.

I love food and I'm a real fan of Paul Heathcote and admire what he has done for regional food. I do have a life outside of food too and love golf and support Liverpool Football Club, much to the anguish of The Red Pump's owner Jonathan (he's an Evertonian, you can imagine the "debates"!)

"Asking me to offer one favourite recipe was really hard since I have many; I love fish and game and that is reflected in our menu at The Red Pump Inn, but we also have superb local lamb and pork. But it is probably our extra-matured beef from Pendle that really does showcase the best of local produce and I've chosen a favourite dish which most could tackle; it is simple and incredibly tasty. It's a very popular dish at The Red Pump Inn."

The Red Pump Inn at Bashall Eaves
Rumoured to have been built in 1756 The Red Pump Inn is one of the oldest in the Ribble Valley. With a bar, restaurant, snug, café and deli, guest accommodation, gardens, an enviable location and spectacular views of Pendle Hill and Longridge Fell, the Inn has enjoyed a rebirth during 2006 and 2007 by the new owners Jonathan and Martina Myerscough. Natives of Liverpool, the food-obsessed couple "retired" to the country to see out their ambition of building a business in a traditional country inn and The Red Pump Inn is enjoying their efforts! Self-proclaimed "bores" about good food, the small team at Inn are working hard to add to their food accolades.

The Story So Far...
The Red Pump Inn has been accredited as a 4 star Inn by Visit Britain. It has the Highest Quality Assured Awarded by Taste Lancashire and is a keen member of North West Fine Foods and the British Institute of Innkeeping. The AA Good Pub Guide for 2008 has listed the Red Pump Inn as a "Pick of the Pubs" for Lancashire and the 2007-8 CAMRA (Campaign For Real Ale) Good Pub and Bed and Breakfast Guide recognises the Red Pump Inn as a great place in Lancashire to eat, drink and sleep!.