"WHEN someone comes up with an obvious idea, you just think to yourself, why the bloody hell has no one thought of this before?"

Following in the footsteps of Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge (of Hand and Flowers fame), who brought a new makeshift cinema movement to the historic Buckinghamshire town of Marlow in December, foodie favourite Rick Stein has something equally as unique up his sleeve this summer.

Drawn to the area by its renowned culinary reputation and inspired by his love of film, Rick is collaborating with Chris Hughes from Brand Events, to drag the Netflix generation from the comfort of their sofas... to the comfort of a sofa.

Having bumped into old friend Chris in November, who explained to him what was happening in Marlow, the idea of Rick Stein's Sunset Cinema was born.

Set in the beautiful grounds of two of England's most famous country house hotels - Cliveden House and Chewton Glen - guests will be able to settle down and tuck in to familiar classics, as part of the pair's new venture, the Pop Up Picture Company.

With the menu made up primarily of seafood, Rick's speciality, diners can expect a unique, al fresco summer evening with an idyllic backdrop thrown in for good measure.

That is if Rick doesn't change his mind at the last minute...

"I used to do this thing which used to drive the chefs nuts," he says.

"I'd come in to work, this was back in the eighties, and I'd get a blinking, blinding couple of ideas about some new dishes on the menu.

"The restaurant opened at seven and I'd be changing the whole menu at quarter to!

"But these days I am a little bit more sensible.

"I was looking for simple food and dishes that really work for us in all our restaurants.

"That is what I like about cooking commercially, because you've got to stay within the parameters of what you can actually do.

"The worse thing is keeping people waiting or not cooking things properly because you're under too much pressure. Having said that I've done that so many times in my life."

But why tear himself away from the kitchen and lend his hand to something totally different?

"I've done a few pop ups and they are just fun and people are much more sympathetic in a pop up restaurant situation because they know you're away from your normal kitchen.

"I just like watching films with other people, the biggest intake of films for me is on long flights. I love to catch up on them but the point for me is to watch them with other people.

"You think of a celebration, there is something really infectious about laughter or tears, and that's what makes films so special for me. It is very easy to watch any film at home now but I would sooner watch it with someone else."

Longtime friend Chris, is clearly still on a high from the winter sell-out success of the Pop Up Picture Company's run of movie screenings within the Old Town Hall building in Marlow.

"It kept saying to us, this is really popular, people really loved this", he says.

"So we tried to put our finger on what it was that people liked so much.

"It's like putting together a pop group or jazz band, you've got to have the right ingredients and for it to work and for this to be a sincere and genuine Rick Stein pop up, it's got to start with Rick designing the menu, him sourcing the ingredients and overseeing what's going on and then his team working with the highly-skilled team at Cliveden to execute that.

"We are interested in doing cool, fun, exciting things that really by nature can only be a temporary, fleeting thing.

"It's an artistic decision really, it's more fun. Which leads on to the energy of being here at Cliveden, the permission to have it here is astonishing.

"I'm from Marlow so it's a place you go for a walk and take relatives when they come to visit, and for people from the Home Counties, it's the place to go for a treat but it is also world famous.

"Sas, Rick's wife, has heard and read about it from Australia in her youth. She is properly excited to be here because it is exceptional, beautiful and proper class. It is a lovely, luxurious experience but it also has this astonishing history."

Guests will be welcomed by an outdoor drinks reception, before settling down to enjoy a classic film while being served a two-course meal curated by Rick himself.

And can we expect to see more of Rick in this neck of the woods?

"I think the people in this area are what really make it stand out, there's a lot of well-informed customers around here.

"You'd be mad to not open a restaurant in somewhere like this part of the world because you know a large number of people travel a great deal, eat in London a great deal, so you have got a very good audience.

"I mean I'd open here but the rents are a bit high!"

Rick Stein's Sunset Cinema is at Cliveden House between June 21 and July 12.

Tickets go on sale on Wednesday, April 26 at 10am.

To find out more visit www.popuppicturecompany.co.uk