A TOP CHEF who swapped his high-flying London career for his dream Dorset hotel was invited to Buckingham Palace by the Queen.

Jamie Jones, who runs the Yalbury Cottage in Lower Bockhampton, was personally invited to the British Hospitality Industry celebrations in honour of Britain's culinary achievements.

He said: "I have seen so many wonderful things but meeting the Queen was just out of this world.

"I got to meet her and shake her hand and told her and the Duke of Kent about giving up the corporate life and moving to our own place in Dorset.

"I had to keep pinching myself to see if it was real."

Mr Jones, 40, and his wife Ariane mingled with hundreds of chefs and hoteliers including Gordon Ramsay, The Roux brothers, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and his old boss Michele Bourdin.

After training for years in London Mr Jones went on to train in Paris before working for the Four Seasons Hotels for 13 years where he ended up an executive chef. The award-winning chef then travelled around the world opening up hotels for the Four Seasons Group from Cairo to Hong Kong and Budapest.

The 300-year-old Yalbury Cottage, which has eight bedrooms and a spacious garden, has been reviewed as the perfect weekend retreat.

It was also named Rural Idyll of the Year in the Good Hotel Guide, which is an independent review of 800 hotels in Great Britain.

He said: "It was always my dream to be an executive chef in London and then own my own place by the time I was 40, and we couldn't be happier than in our own place."

The £110 a night cottage already has a reputation in the food industry for its fresh food made from all-local ingredients.

Mr Jones said: "The average Sunday lunch in the UK travels 24,000 miles before it ends up on a plate, with oil from Italy, meat from New Zealand and so on.

"At Yalbury Cottage we promise to bring this to you from all the fine local produce within less than 100 miles."

As well as working full time and looking after his two children Mr Jones also hosts a recipe show on BBC Solent.

For more information contact 01305 262382 or visit www.yalburycottage.com