A Reading based family butcher, Wm Vicars & Son, established in 1886, supplies the restaurant’s meat, which can be traced from farm to table.

Their ice cream is made by the Gosden family in Sherfield-on-Loddon, using cream from their herd of Jersey cows.

Simon said: “We were buying ice cream and it was coming from France and we said, what’s the point? So we got on to the internet and found a Hampshire seller. We wanted Hampshire and local.

“Same with the butchers, who have been there for a very long time in Reading. They live locally and a lot of their meat is sourced locally.”

Wherever possible, they use organic English produce or vegetables that have been home-grown. Their herb garden, next to the kitchen door, supplies them with herbs for garnishing and cooking.

The Henwood Farm in Ashford Hill provide them daily with almost organic produce such as tomatoes, pumpkin flowers, beans, lettuce, potatoes, beetroot and carrots.

Simon believes they are the only business in Britain which imports the Husk range of herbal teas from Australia, which are free from caffeine, tannic acid and artificial additives. Murray River Pink Salt Flakes is also brought in from Australia.

Simon’s mother knits tea cosies which they sell and use when serving customers tea.

Their botanical hand soap and hand cream is produced by Aesop in Melbourne, and is exclusive to The Wellington Arms.

They pay to recycle glass and they compost a lot of the restaurants’ vegetable matter. Pigs will be arriving in the summer.

Simon said: “At the weekend we get very busy and there is quite a buzz to it. There’s a great atmosphere.”

Simon met Jason in Hong Kong where they lived together for seven years.

Jason grew up in Melbourne, Australia. He has been a chef since he left school and has worked for Paul Bocuse in Melbourne and Lyon, and led an award winning restaurant, La Bodega, in Hong Kong for six years.

He is a gold medal winner for Australia in the Culinary Olympics, which is held every four years.

Simon said: “We lived in Hong Kong, major capital city of the world, very full on, very busy, lots to do, the most amazing place. In 24 hours you could do anything, you could walk everywhere.

We’ve moved now to Baughurst in the middle of nowhere. With two acres of land, chickens, it could not be more different and we just enjoy living here now, taking the dogs for a walk, raising chickens, breeding hens. It’s a totally different way of life. From one extreme to the other.”

To take a look around the restaurant, click on the link above.