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From fresh asparagus to rhubarb picked from farm shops in the Rhubarb Triangle, Maila Samatauskaite gets her inspiration from the wealth of produce around her in Rothwell.

The 30-year-old is the head chef of Salute at the White Swan, a contemporary Italian restaurant in the heart of the town.

Salute opened its doors in 2004 in Woodlesford before taking over the White Swan pub in 2006.

Maila joined the team in 2019 and quickly progressed to head chef, impressing the owners with her eye for presentation and commitment to using local produce.

Maila Samatauskaite, 30, is the head chef at Salute at the White Swan in Rothwell (Photo: Simon Hulme)

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Born in Estonia, Maila started cooking for her busy family when she was 10 years old.

“I felt like I needed to do something for my family," she told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

“We lived very close to the forest so I would pick up mushrooms and blueberries, I’d make pastas and sweet bakes to have something on the table when they came home from work."

Maila's love for pasta dishes and Italian food, as well as seasonal produce, made her the perfect match for Salute at the White Swan (Photo: Simon Hulme)

Maila never intended to pursue a career in cooking; she fell into the industry by chance when her friend offered her a summer job in an Estonian kitchen when she was 17.

She was trained up and stayed at the restaurant for a decade, serving authentic Estonian food - pancakes, fresh salads and main courses using local fish.

“My boss lady really opened my eyes to everything," Maila added.

“She was like a second mother to me, she was always by my side.”

Maila's love for pasta dishes and Italian food, as well as seasonal produce, made her the perfect match for Salute at the White Swan.

Leeds restaurants: Meet the head chef of Salute at the White Swan in the heart of Rothwell