IT has been a mere two months since Andrew Hill took charge of the kitchens at Clarence House Country Hotel and Restaurant. 

But after a baptism of fire which saw them take the Christmas season in their stride, and having since started to put their own stamp and style on the menu, the head chef and his team are now preparing to play their part in one of south Cumbria’s most exciting events. 

Next week will see world-renowned chefs arrive in Dalton for the Lake District Farmers Armstrong Family Charitable Fund celebrity chef event, hosted and sponsored by Clarence House. 

A chef of 19 years, Mr Hill’s career has seen him work in Michelin-star restaurants, including the Belvedere in London, then under the ownership of star chef Marco Pierre White. 

But regardless of his own wealth of experience, and that of his team, the prospect of working under chefs with as many as three Michelin stars poses a mouth-watering opportunity. 

Mr Hill said: “There are some fantastic chefs coming up - the highest calibre I’ve known in one kitchen. 

It’ll be good to see what they’re doing and enjoy having that wealth of knowledge, and to get involved, work alongside them and do whatever we can to help. 

“It’s going to be a case of giving the team that experience of really taking dishes to the next level, fine tuning and picking up new techniques. It’ll be a really good learning opportunity for them.” 

This will be the fourth visit to Cumbria for some of the celebrity chefs involved in next week’s event, which will run from Thursday to Saturday evening. 

The annual culinary extravaganza began in 2013, following fund founder and well-known Barrow businessman Ray Armstrong’s diagnosis with liver and pancreatic cancer. 

The event has continued to inspire generosity since Mr Armstrong’s death in April 2013, with more than £115,000 having been raised and donated in his name. 

Thanks to the support of numerous local businesses, the full £100 cost per ticket goes into donations for local families, charities and community organisations. 

Of the contribution made by Clarence House - the venue provided for the event free of charge - managing director Victoria Barber-Bolam said:  “We are so, so proud to be able to say we’re making a difference to people in this area. 

“It’s a wonderfully simple idea but an extremely effective way to help local charities, and that’s why we’re so honoured to be involved. 

"We want people who don’t know where to turn to, who have hit rock bottom, who feel very alone, to know that there is someone there for them. We just want people who need help to be able to get it. That’s what this charity is for.”

The fourth annual Lake District Farmers Armstrong Family Charitable Fund celebrity chef event will take place on Thursday February 4, Friday 5 and Saturday 6. Names on the line-up include Great British Menu star Mark Froydenlund, local food hero Simon Rogan, and Clare Smyth, chef patron at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and the first female British chef to hold three Michelin stars. Tickets for one night at the event, hosted and sponsored by Clarence House Country Hotel and Restaurant in Dalton, cost £100 each. This includes a six-course tasting menu supplied by three different chefs, champagne and canapes on arrival and entertainment during the evening. Tickets are still available for the Thursday and Friday evenings. To book, call Sarah on 01229 870168 or phone 07525 590 003. Visit www.nwemail.co.uk to see the full line-up for all three evenings and read profiles on all of the chefs cooking at this year’s event.