Leeds: The Chefs
Rachel Green
www.rachel-green.co.uk
Rachel has made a name for herself by her passionate and committed championing of British produce. She’s had numerous TV appearances including ITV Yorkshire’s eight part series ‘World on A Plate’, Alan Titchmarsh Show and BBC3’s ‘Kill it! Eat It!’ She has worked with Alan Titchmarsh, Phil Vickery and Sophie Conran and has cooked for HM The Queen, HRH Prince Charles and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. Rachel is the Face VisitBritian’s tasteEngland campaign and was awarded the CLA Award for Outstanding Contribution and Achievement for British Food. She wrote ‘Rachel Green’s Chatsworth Cookery Book’ and contributed to ‘Green & Black’s Chocolate Cookbook’ and ‘BMW Good Drive Food’. She demonstrates regularly at events including BBC Good Food show, Ludlow Food Festival 2009 and Restaurant Show, Earls Court 2008/9.
Timothy Bilton
The Butchers ArmsHuddersfield HD9 1TE
www.thebutchersarmshepworth.co.uk
Timothy recently appeared on BBC's Great British Menu. In 2008 Tim transformed the run down Butchers arms from a failing business into an multi-award-winning dining pub. Timothy has trained under Raymond Blanc as Commis Chef at Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons in Oxfordshire, worked in the bustling kitchens of France, lectured at Leeds college and headed up a team of 28 chefs at the 330-cover Bibis restaurant. At The Butchers Arms, Timothy applies the 'field-to-folk' principles of pure, simple, sustainable food scoured from local producers.
James Mackenzie
The Pipe and Glass
East Yorkshire, HU17 7PN
www.pipeandglass.co.uk
James is chef proprietor of The Pipe and Glass, which won a Michelin star this year. Raised on the North Yorkshire coast, he started his career in the kitchen at just 13 and trained at Scarborough Technical College, some years later he returned to Yorkshire as head chef for Andrew Pern at the Michelin-stared Star Inn where he met his wife Kate. They now own and run The Pipe and Glass, since opening it has established a national reputation, winning numerous awards including ‘the Yorkshire Life restaurant of the year’ in 2007/8 and ‘Best Newcomer’ at the 2008 Northern Hospitality Awards, as well as one of the forty best restaurants outside London at the London Restaurant Awards.
Rob Green
Green’s Restaurant & Bistro
North Yorkshire, YO22 4BG
www.greensofwhitby.com
Rob is National Seafood Chef of the Year, and chef proprietor of the award winning Green's Restaurant & Bistro in North Yorkshire. The menu is attentive to the surrounding bounty from the coast, and with Rob’s daily contact with the skippers of the local trawlers, he can ensure a menu that boasts the best of ‘The Catch of the Day’. Rob is involved in ongoing TV and radio appearances, and enjoys demonstrating at major food events. Green’s Restaurant & Bistro won The White Rose Award for ‘The Taste of Yorkshire’, and The Moors and Coast Tourism award for ‘Best Restaurant’ for the second year running 08/09.
Andrew Pern
The Star Inn
North Yorkshire YO62 5JE
www.thestaratharome.co.uk
Born and bred in North Yorkshire, Andrew has been influenced by all things local for most of his life, which includes his cooking style. Andrew and his wife Jacquie acquired The Star Inn at Harome in 1996 and it became one of the very first Michelin-starred pubs, as well as being named the first Egon Ronay ‘Gastropub’ of the year. The Star Inn has also been awarded three “Cateys”, a feat matched only by the likes of Michel Roux and Gordon Ramsay. Andrew and Jacquie have since continued to expand their empire with Black Eagle Cottages, Cross House Lodge Hotel, The Corner Shop, Pern’s of Helmsley (butchers/delicatessen), The Pheasant Hotel at Harome and a Starfish (fishmongers). In 2008, Andrew published his first book, ‘Black Pudding and Foie Gras’, which came 2nd in the Gourmand Awards ‘Best in the World’ for the Best Chef Book on 1 July 2009.
Richard Walton-Allen
Harvey Nichols Fourth Floor Café
Leeds, LS1 6AZ
www.harveynichols.com
Yorkshire-born chef Richard, this year celebrated over a decade of loyal service as Executive Chef at Harvey Nichols. Richard’s cooking is driven by his dedication to supporting local producers, this is reflected in his dishes, created with locally sourced meat, game and vegetables, and it is this that makes the dishes so memorable. Richard is one of he team responsible for the conception and ongoing commitment to the Harvey Nichols Chef’s Apprenticeship programme, now in its 6th year. In 2007 Richard was admitted to the prestigious ‘Academy of Culinary Arts’.
Stephanie Moon
Rudding Park
North Yorkshire HG3 1JH
www.ruddingpark.co.uk
Stephanie began her training at Skipton College, and after cooking her way around the world, came back to Yorkshire to work at Rudding Park. Her career highlights include; winning Yorkshire Life Chef of the Year 2004/2005, and being promoted to Executive Head Chef at Rudding Park. Stephanie has also met the Queen and members of the Royal Family as a “young achiever” at Buckingham Palace, won a gold medal at Salon Culinaire in Sydney, and cooked for famous people during her time at Rudding Park including George Bush Snr, Michael Gorbachev, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and John Cleese. Most recently, Stephanie won a bronze award at the British Culinary Federation’s ‘Chef of the Year’ final which took place in March 2010 at Hotelympia at London’s ExCel. Stehpanie’s blog, www.thewildcook.co.uk showcases foraging for food in Yorkshire’s hedgerows.
Simon Crannage
Swinton Park
North Yorkshire HG4 4HJ
www.swintonpark.com
Simon returned to his Yorkshire roots when he took over the running of the kitchens at Swinton Park, following 20 years of experience working in some of the best restaurants in the country. Since then he has continued to maintain the highest standards, consistently cooking to the AA 3 Rosette standard, and has also helped develop the wide range of produce grown in the hotel’s four acre walled garden. His commitment to local and seasonal produce has been widely acclaimed, and he has just launched his own line of Chef’s Kitchen stocks and sauces using ingredients sourced from the hotel’s walled garden and the surrounding Swinton Estate. Last year Simon ran alfresco kitchens for the first time at Swinton Park’s Alfresco Food Festivals, and more recently Simon has launched his themed summer lunches in the restaurant and alfresco barbecue dining evenings at the Deerhouse in the parkland.
Murray Wilson
van Zeller
North Yorkshire HG1 2TQ
www.vanzellerrestaurants.co.uk
Murray Wilson impressed judges Michel Roux Jr and Gregg Wallace making it to the final of Masterchef the Professionals in 2008. In 2006 Murray was appointed chef de partie at Gordon Ramsay's prestigious London restaurant Claridges, he then moved to The Five Horsehoes near Henley-on-Thames before returning to his roots in Harrogate where he become head chef of the Bistro at Hotel du Vin, where he was awarded 2 AA rosettes. Murray has recently joined fellow Foodies demonstrator Tom van Zeller at van Zeller restaurant in Harrogate.
Trajan Drew
Ye Old Punch Bowl Inn
North Yorkshire, YO51 9QY
Trajan is head chef at Ye Olde Punch Bowl in North Yorkshire. He started his career over 20 years ago and has worked in some of the finest establishments serving double rosette standard food. Trajan made a name for himself when he became the proprietor of The Appletree Country Inn in North Yorkshire where he won a number of awards including The National Dining Pub of the Year, Yorkshire Life Pub of the Year and National Gastro Pub of the Year. Trajan takes great pride in producing traditional and unusual dishes with a twist to create the best dining experience, with attention to detail being of great importance.
Ashley McCarthy
Ye Old Sun Inn
North Yorkshire LS24 8EP
www.yeoldsuninn.co.uk
In 2004 Ashley and his wife Kelly bought the lease for Ye Old Sun Inn, transforming it to an award winning classic Yorkshire Gastorpub. Ashely began his career working in country inn’s and hotels in Yorkshire, and began passing on his expertise at York College teaching the NVQ level 2 and the C&G Cooks Professional Award. In 2009 he joined the team at Hazelwood Castle as junior sous chef under the Benson-Smith brothers. Finding that teaching was a passion Ashley moved to Thomas Danby College in Leeds. Since opening Ye Old Sun Inn it has won many awards including Publican magazine 'National Chef of the Year'; Yorkshire Life’s 'Traditional Pub of the Year' as well as Yorkshire Tourist board’s 'Yorkshire Pub of the Year'!
