CHESHIRE foodies are flocking to The Black Swan in Lower Withington to sample dishes from the kitchen’s rising culinary star.

Jack Mullen has been appointed head chef at the Trap Street restaurant at the tender age of 21.

The young chef has enjoyed an illustrious career thus far and said he was looking forward to taking hold of the reins for the first time.

Jack said: "As a chef you never stop learning and the team encourage me to be creative and to try new things. I love running a kitchen and helping others to do what I have done - and that’s to get to the role of head chef, no matter what age you are."

The former North West ‘Young Chef of the Year’ finalist may be recognisable to many Knutsfordians; he was part of the Belle Epoque team before his move to the country pub last month.

He started out as an apprentice with The De Vere Group and served at the prestigious Cameron House Hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond in Scotland as a commis chef.

Following this, he moved to Maze, Gordon Ramsey’s Michelin star restaurant in central London.

"I've always had a passion for food and wanted to be a chef from a very young age,” added Jack.

“I have very high standards so will push myself to produce the very best dishes I can. I've been very lucky in securing roles with some of the best chefs in the business in some very prestigious and respected kitchens.

“I learned a lot from them and am pleased to be applying these skills in my role of head chef at The Black Swan.”