TOP Isle of Wight chef Robert Thompson is to return to The George Hotel, Yarmouth, and team up with entrepreneur Howard Spooner.

Robert was the youngest British chef to be awarded a Michelin Star in his own right in 2007 and has been appointed executive chef at the hotel.

He will recruit and train staff, design and plan menus as well as work there, in conjunction with his own successful restaurant, Thompson's, in Newport.

Robert previously spent nearly a year at The George in 2014.

He said: "It's a great project and great to team up with Howard who has an amazing vision for the hotel.

"It will also be fantastic for Thompson's to have an affiliation with The George.

"I will be concentrating on high end food in the brasserie, not fine dining, and there will also be an outside kitchen which can be used on sunny days during the summer when people can relax in the garden with a great view of The Solent and actually see us cook amazing local produce.

"We want to make dishes with ingredients the customer wants to eat, not necessarily put ingredients and food on a plate which won't excite them."

Howard, who has the hotel on a three-year lease with a try it to buy it contract, said: "This is an incredibly exciting project with the Island's top chef.

"Robert will be working in the background with the staff and on the menus, and he will also make appearances here.

"He has persuaded me to buy an outdoor kitchen so people can enjoy casual barbeque eating in the summer.

"It's fantastic for The George he is going to incorporate his ideas with our cooking."