Simon Rogan is having a quiet morning. He is perched on a stool in his Aulis research kitchen checking messages on his smartphone, while simultaneously working out recipes on his laptop and trying to sort out the workmen who are threatening to turn off the water supply to his restaurant L'Enclume (the best one in the UK, according to The Good Food Guide).

While that is going on, he is meeting a young chef who is desperate to join his team, talking to some craftsmen with hand-whittled wooden plates ("The tree they come from is actually poisonous, but not too poisonous," he is told) and haggling with a supplier who is angling for dinner and a night at Rogan's flagship restaurant in exchange for one-and-a-half kilos of truffles ("OK, but it has to be on a quiet night"). And on top of that, GQ is photographing food and generally getting in the way.

Just as well he isn't two months away from the most significant London restaurant opening of the year, then. Otherwise he might have been busy. "Oh, it's going to be brutal," the 46-year-old says with a smile. "But how can you not be excited about opening a restaurant at Claridge's?"

Rogan is right. When it was announced early last year that Gordon Ramsay was leaving Claridge's after 12 years, virtually every top chef would have been salivating at the idea of taking it on. While the rumours circled instantly - René Redzepi was coming from Noma; Thomas Keller would be crossing the Atlantic; Eleven Madison Park's Daniel Humm was a shoe-in - there was a feeling that what Claridge's really wanted was a Brit. And as one of the most successful, creative and inspiring chefs in the UK, Rogan found himself top of their list. Not bad for a boy who only really started cooking because he fancied his home-economics teacher.

"Ah, Miss Humphries," he says with a chuckle. "She wasn't the only reason, but as incentives to get into the kitchen go, she was a good one." Putting his cooking skills to immediate use, aged 14 Rogan took a weekend job at a Greek restaurant in Southampton, and never looked back. He honed his skills at catering college and Rhinefield House hotel in the New Forest, was inspired to see the world by Jean-Christophe Novelli, and soon resolved to set up on his own. "I quit my last job in January 2000 and made a vow [that] the next restaurant I opened would be my own," he says.

Two years later, Rogan opened L'Enclume in an old forge (the name means "anvil" in French) in Cartmel, a tiny village in Cumbria. "It was exactly the right restaurant, just 350 miles too far north," he admits. "But I had confidence that we could make it a destination in its own right." After four quiet months, the first reviews appeared and people started to book. Influenced by the experimental Pierre Gagnaire and the creative use of Alpine herbs by Marc Veyrat, his work was inspired. By 2005 he had won his first Michelin star.

"The thing was, I'd lost my way," Rogan says now. "I thought I was being too scientific, but friends encouraged me to focus more on the ingredients and embrace my surroundings. It gave me a new lease of life." By combining chemistry with cooking, farming with foraging, and dedicating himself to being the best of British, Rogan had found his raison d'être. L'Enclume went from being a very good restaurant to a truly great one, picking up awards, rave reviews and TV appearances (most notably, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon's The Trip). He opened a second restaurant (Rogan & Company) and a pub (the Pig & Whistle) in Cartmel, created a notable London pop-up (Roganic) and set up two places in Manchester's Midland Hotel. Which brings us back to his next project.

"Claridge's is a dream come true," he says. "It will have L'Enclume DNA running through it, but you will be sitting in Mayfair in a world-famous dining room, eating a completely different repertoire of dishes. It won't be stuffy [or] elitist. It will be for anyone interested in great service and brilliant food."

So no pressure then? "Oh, loads... especially because I want three [Michelin] stars. I believe it can be done and it will be the first time [for a hotel restauarant] that has happened in London. It will be tough, no doubt about that, but we can do it." 

And can we expect any surprises? "Maybe we could bring back the mallow-leaves liquor that was featured in The Trip. On the menu we could actually call it 'Ray Winstone Snot'." 

If anyone can win three Michelin stars for serving up Ray's sputum (with a ginger beer and whisky foam), it's Simon Rogan. Drink it, London... drink it!

Introducing Simon Rogan's signature dish Valley Venison

Venison
The small cubes of tartare venison loin come from Menil fallow deer reared on 90 hectares of closed parkland on the Cartmel valley's Holker Estate (where Holker venison can be purchased). holker.co.uk

Shots
The dish is served with a caper jam, very finely sliced shallot rings, a sprinkling of diced gherkins, mustard mayonnaise and candied fennel juice "shots".

Farm
It's garnished with micro fennel herbs and fennel shoots grown in the polytunnels at Rogan's 12-acre farm. The herbs are miniature and have an intense flavour. 

Coail oil
The venison is dressed in coal oil, which is made by placing hot burnt coals into rapeseed and allowed to infuse. This gives a unique, smoky barbecue flavour.

Slate
The dish is served on a hand-carved slate from Coniston in the heart of the Lake District. For more information, visit conistonslate.co.uk

Wine
At L'Enclume, the Valley Venison is served with a 2012 biodynamic El Pais de Quenehuao Clos Ouvertfrom Chile's Maule Valley.
From £17.95. buonvino.co.uk

Simon Rogan at Claridge's

Opening: Early April
Seating: 90 covers, plus a 12-seat private dining room, and - later this year - an eight-seat chef's table.
Executive chef: Dan Cox
Head chef: Andy Tomlinson
Interior design: Guy Oliver
Restaurant Director: Ben Hofer 

L'Enclume ("the anvil")

Head chef: Mark Birchall
Patron: Simon Rogan
Food type: Modern British
Rating: Two Michelin stars
Seating: Fifty

Simon Rogan's Fera at Claridge's opens on Tuesday, the 6th of May. Reservation lines are open now on 020 7107 8888. Brook Street, London W1. claridges.co.uk