A chef’s guide to North Yorkshire

I’ve lived in North Yorkshire all my life. I grew up on a farm in Oldstead, a tiny hamlet just inside the boundary of the North York Moors national park. We would feed the animals – Aberdeen Angus cows and hens – before going to school. 

I was obsessed with cricket; I wanted to play professionally. When I was 18, my grandfather died. I developed ulcerative colitis, an autoimmune disease that often comes on after major stress. I was bedbound for 18 months and had three major operations. Mum and Dad thought we’d have a go at running the local pub, The Black Swan, and I started working there. When I was ill, I knew my dream of playing cricket was over, so I started reading cookbooks and became quite obsessed. Today, I’m chef patron and co-owner of two Michelin-starred restaurants, The Black Swan at Oldstead and Roots in the centre of York, and a pub, The Abbey Inn at Byland. 

North Yorkshire means everything to me. It’s the most beautiful part of the country, and it’s largely unspoilt, especially the area where I am: the Howardian Hills and the North York Moors national park. The people are so friendly; it would be considered rude to walk past somebody and not say hello. 

The landscapes on the North York Moors are beautiful but quite barren. We have the landmark White Horse, near Kilburn, carved into the hillside. My grandfather used to be the president of the Kilburn White Horse Association, so I spent my school holidays working on its maintenance. I still go up there all the time. From the top, you can see across Yorkshire and to the Pennines and Lancashire. Another special place is Gormire Lake on Sutton Bank, where I asked my wife to marry me. The walk down to it is stunning. 

I love going out for a Sunday roast. There’s Andrew Pern’s incredible Michelin-starred gastropub, The Star Inn at Harome, which is in the most beautiful characterful building with a thatched roof. It’s famous for its game dishes. I’m also a big fan of The Owl at Hawnby which feels remote, especially in winter, but in summer it’s fantastic for a ride out. They do a lot of fish dishes. 

York played a major role throughout a large part of British history. You can see that reflected in the city walls, where there are Roman parts, Viking parts and medieval parts. The Shambles – one of the best-preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe – is a bit of a tourist trap, but the architecture’s cool and quirky, and there’s some brilliant food and drink, including Florian Poirot, a French pâtisserie. It’s run by a French guy who’s lived in North Yorkshire for a long time and his pastry work is second to none. The macarons are fantastic but I also love the rum babas which you can buy in glass jars to take home. Another favourite nearby is Cresci Pizza, a proper Neapolitan-style pizza restaurant. When you find a place that serves world-class food but your children can run around and have a great time, you’ve won. 

The beautiful market town of Helmsley has several galleries. Helmsley Arts Centre has work from different photographers, artists and craftspeople. And I really love the more Impressionist-style paintings of North Yorkshire’s landscapes at Saltbox. The Mouseman showroom in Kilburn, meanwhile, showcases the work of Robert “Mouseman” Thompson, an incredible 20th-century carpenter. The craftsmen there still make new pieces, all of which have a hand-carved dormouse on them. If I’m buying someone a gift, I’ll get a little cheeseboard or a hand-carved bowl. 

We’ll often pack up the car and go on a day trip to the seaside with the kids. Whitby’s amazing to visit, with a lot of references to Bram Stoker, who spent time there. But the little village of Sandsend has a much nicer beach. There’s a new hotel there, Saltmoore, where I’m a consultant on the food. It’s around 500 metres from the beach but you immediately back on to the moors. Another good getaway is Studford Lodges, near Ampleforth, which has beautiful log cabins surrounded by forest. A lot of high-profile people go there because it’s in the middle of nowhere and very private. 

For me, getting out and about in North Yorkshire is about unwinding and being inspired at the same time. The food I cook is totally inspired by the area around me, so I always go back to work with fresh ideas.