Pictured: Simon Smith - cooking at The Swan on January 20 and 21

A famous Staffordshire pub is to host some of the region's top chefs for a series of gourmet evenings and weekends showcasing their cooking talents.

The Swan with Two Necks in Longdon, which has just re-opened under new management, is planning regular events to spice up the Staffordshire dining experience.

For the first gourmet weekend, on January 20 and 21, well-known local chef Simon Smith will be cooking a three-course seasonal menu using local produce, meat, fish and game.

Simon was chef patron of the well-respected Thrales Restaurant in Lichfield for 23 years. Trained in France and Switzerland, he now makes regular TV appearances, including cooking on This Morning with Gino De Campo, and appearing as a regular on the Carlton Food Network. He holds three gold medals form Salons Culinaires and co-hosts a stage show on the history of British cooking.

Other chefs who will be demonstrating their skills at the Swan with Two Necks include Nigel Smith, winner of the 2006 Chef of the Year competition, currently chef patron of The Villa Country House Hotel in Wrea Green, Lancashire.

Businessman Neil Morten, who took over the pub last year, said he wanted the Swan with Two Necks to become a destination pub for  people who enjoyed high standards of cooking, competitively priced.

"The Swan is a great local village pub which already has a reputation for good pub food. We want to build on that and showcase some of the great cooking talent that exists in the region and beyond, with the emphasis on locally produced, seasonal menus."

Simon Smith's three course dining experience on January 20 and 21 is priced at £29.50 a head. Places are limited, so advance booking on 01543 490251 is advised.