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A restaurateur without a restaurant

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Back in the early 1990s and with nearly a decade's post-college experience behind me, I nearly bought the Singing Kettle in Settle, North Yorkshire. It was a pretty little tea room which I planned to turn into my own chef owner restaurant (and it's still there and up for sale again). I had the money and backing from my Mum and step father and the support as ever from Mary. But with three young children and the general business risks involved, I reluctantly backed away and kept on cooking in other people's establishments.


Now in 2025, somewhat older and perhaps wiser, I am a restaurateur without a restaurant and can cook what I want. My old boss Eric Claveau at Holdsworth House in Halifax, who taught me a great deal, would sometimes shun my proposals for creations such as Stilton and rosemary ice cream, Darjeeling smoked scallops and soy beurre blanc. While some ideas fell by the wayside, others did make the menu and I'm still as passionate about food, cooking and the pleasure we see in our customers' delight as I was in my 20s. With cooking my main focus again, Mary can confirm I'm back to spontaneous menu planning at any time of the day or night!


What is great about eating at a chef owner restaurant (or indeed, pop-up) is that creativity, seasonality and the relationship with ingredients and suppliers are so evident. I love being free to combine blackcurrants, thyme and liquorice in a dessert, because it works and tastes fab! We now have the trust of our customers and know they know that what is cooked will taste good and have an ethical backbone. I admit that sometimes I do need to reel in my 'Yorkshire portions': I never want anyone to go home hungry! Those Yorkshire roots and Yorkshire restaurant experiences sometimes just keep coming back with the call for 'just another spoonful'.


I have to say, I am sorry to see a chain restaurant coming to Tavistock with an all day set menu that you can find in 240 other locations. Chains benefit from cheap, centralised ingredient purchasing and many zero or low hours, low paid staff. They don't help to skill up people in the industry or provide distinctiveness and variety over time for customers. They may be a step up from McDonald's, but the bar is pretty low.


Last year saw the closure of many great restaurants across the UK, including not just Michel Roux Jr's Le Gavroche, but also many places of well deserved local renown. Like independent pubs, the rate of restaurant closures is set to spiral, leading to a supermarket-like dining culture where everything tastes the same and there's just a different badge on the front door.


So support your independent chef owner, wherever you see them, as we are an old, dying breed!


PS Written and edited by human beings, not AI.



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