AN award-winning chef has taken time out between two exciting London adventures to cater an exclusive event in the village pub where she washed pots as a child.

When she was just ten-years-old, Ruth Hansom loved to help in the kitchen of The Ship Inn at Middlestone, near Spennymoor.

And this Friday, for one night only, she will return to the pub to run a pop-up restaurant before she embarks on her biggest venture yet and becomes one of London's youngest female restaurateurs.

The 22-year-old said: “I used to love being in the kitchen, it was always exciting and those times, along with growing vegetables at home and cooking with them, were definitely inspiring.”

Miss Hansom, from Darlington, used to go with her mam and stepdad Meryl and Wilf Graham to the pub, ran by friends Tony Langdale and Jane Roscher, and always jumped at the chance to get involved.

As a pupil at Longfield Academy, in Darlington, she triumphed in the final of Springboard’s FutureChef competition at Westminster College – cementing her desire to train there and pursue a career in the hospitality industry.

At 16 she moved to London and served an apprenticeship at the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts with luxury hotel The Ritz, where she worked for two more years.

She has now paired up with friend Emily Lambert, 20, who trained as a sommelier at The Ritz, and in 2018 they plan to open their own eatery in affluent Mayfair and become the youngest women with a restaurant in the capital.

But before that she will cook up a four-course menu for just 30 lucky guests at The Ship Inn.

As in their own restaurant, every ingredient will be from the British Isles and each dish carefully paired with a complementary drink.

They are so passionate about British produce that all the plates will be from a maker in Newcastle, the wines all English and dried, ground horseradish will be used in place of pepper which cannot be grown in our climate.

Miss Hansom said: “We feel strongly about food and wine pairing and are passionate about British produce, that will be key for our restaurant.

“The food, drink and service will be of a high standard but in a homely environment. We don’t want to faff around or be pretentious but want people to ask us questions so we can tell them the stories we pick up about our suppliers and ingredients.

“All of that will apply at The Ship this week. It is really exciting to be back.”

Landlady Ms Roscher said: “We’re chuffed to have her.

“We’re so proud and excited for her, a top restaurant would give its eye-teeth to have her so we’re lucky she's cooking in our kitchen, the locals who have supported us are in for a treat.”