A FORMER Michelin-starred chef who quit his job after his food was branded “too poncy” has vowed to put the incident behind him as he opens his own restaurant.

Ryan Simpson and his staff left The Goose, in Britwell Salome, south Oxfordshire, in February after clashing with owner Paul Castle just three weeks after the restaurant was awarded a star in the 2010 restaurant guide.

Mr Simpson is opening a new restaurant, Orwells, at the former White Hart pub in Shiplake on Saturday – and admitted he had learned lessons.

The 27-year-old said: “I wish the new team at The Goose the very best of luck. I enjoyed my time there. Now it is time for us to move on and put our mark on this new venture.”

Mr Simpson will be a joint leaseholder along with life partner and sous chef, Liam Trotman.

He said: “We want there to be something for everyone, which may be a little different from how it was at The Goose.

“Our food won’t be too poncy for guests stopping for a good lunch – and you may even see a burger.

“But the restaurant, which is called The Room, will offer the kind of food that I have always strived for – personal, modern cooking.”

Mr Simpson added: “When it comes to Michelin stars, we’re not ruling anything out.

“We would obviously like to win one because they are a fantastic accolade for chefs.

“You don’t have to be producing stuffy food to receive a star. The most important thing is the quality of the product.”

Earlier this month John Footman, 34, who trained under Raymond Blanc, was appointed the new head chef at The Goose.