Ahmed Abdalla heads up the kitchen brigade at The Grand, York’s new fine dining restaurant,Legacy. Following it’s opening in Autumn 2022, Abdalla has already led the restaurant to being featured in The Telegraph’s ’14 Best Restaurants in York’ list and has been recognised by Michelin as one of their favourites for February this year.
Chef Doug Crampton is a chef with an impressive career to date, learning his craft in Leeds’ 3AA Rosette Anthony’s Restaurant and training with top British Michelin Star Chefs. Doug led the opening of James Martin Manchester in 2013 and is now Executive Chef of the award-winning dining experience, offering a mix of classic and innovative British cuisine; locally sourced, big on flavour and deliciously accessible; achieving the Sunday Times Top 50 accolade.
In lockdown, Doug launched ‘CHEF LIVE;’ raising money for Wheatfield’s Hospice Emergency Appeal in memory of his sister, Jenny Bold and being nominated for the Staff Canteen ‘Lockdown Community Hero’ Award. ‘
Galton and his wife began with a dream to create their very own country hotel. With a CATEY award, Michelin ‘star’ since 1998, Four AA Red Stars and Four AA Rosettes Morston Hall has been recognised as both a great English hotel and restaurant.
Morston Hall was also named in the top 100 restaurants in the UK. Galton has held a Michelin star for 18 years and become UK Craft Guild of Chefs ‘Chef of the year’, East Anglian Chef of the Year and fellow of the craft guild of chefs. Galton has appeared on Anglia Television, Gary Rhodes Food Heros, Market Kitchen, Great British Menu and is a regular on Saturday Kitchen with James Martin (BBC) where he’s always promoting seasonal and Norfolk produce.
Originally from Skipton, John trained at The Angel at Hetton under Dennis Watkins and returned to his Yorkshire Dales roots having made a name for himself in the North West where he was awarded Chef Of TheYear three times as Chef And Partner Of The Acclaimed White Hart At Lydgate. He now owns the stunning Grassington house hotel where his amazing food takes centre stage. Transforming great produce serving the customer fantastic food on the plate at reasonable prices.
Lionel Strub Chef/Patron of the Clarendon country pun with room in Hebden near Grassington, which has already won the “Best Rural Pub 2017” Oliver award.
His awards include; 2008 Yorkshire Professional Chef of the Year Competition, 2011 & 2012 National Chef of the Year, a medal winner for the British Open Cookery Competition 2012, 2013’s Yorkshire Evening Post Oliver Award for ” Best Restaurant Service” in 2013 & in 2014 ” Best European Restaurant”.
Philippine-born chef, Marlon Sanchez, has been honing his culinary skills since his early days training at the Culinary Institute Barcelona (CIB). A former chef at a Michelin Star restaurant, Marlon is now Head Chef at the five-star Judge’s Lodging in York where he is spearheading its two Rosette awarded restaurant, 1711.
Nathan Richardson-Kelly-Head Chef at Castle Howard passionate about using the best quality Yorkshire produce and showcasing the finest ingredients our estate has to offer. Including wild roe deer, grass fed Angus beef, free range woodland reared porkand a whole array of fresh fruit and vegetables grown in our own walled garden and orchards.
Chef Ben Keightley started his journey in the cooking world working with chef Richard Wallton Allen under the Harvey Nichols chef scholarship for 3 years travelling around the med as a privet chef cooking foods from all around the world. He now has taken on the head role at the hideaway kitchen in Borough Bridge serving amazing brunch dishes and small tasting plates on an evening.
Sarah Thompson is a self trained chef ,baker and confectioner. Learning to bake 50 year’s ago with her Mum and Grandmother. She now runs a small but growing bakery in Sandbach, Cheshire. She published a cookbook “Hot Chilli, Cold Chilli” and is hoping to publish her second book later this year. She loves baking and creating new cakes and desserts…and showing pending people what she can create using chilli.
Glorious Game’s raison d’etre is to help increase the appeal of this hugely under appreciated but delicious, lean and nutritious meat.
Sophie firmly believes that presenting Game as familiar dishes makes it more tempting for a wider audience. Based in North Yorkshire, everything Glorious Game does is 100% about the game. The unique range includes award winning rillettes, low calories dishes, a rendang, and a Green Thai curry.
The Yorkshire Fried Pheasant was awarded 2nd place in the Best Added Value or Innovation Category in the Eat Game Awards 2021.
Indian Chef Bobby Geetha is highly passionate and dedicated to his profession. During his career, he has 16 years experience working in 5 star luxury kitchens as well as experience working with Europe Michelin starred culinary greats. Whilst being the author of five cook books telling the story of Fine Dining Indian Cuisine, he was also a Quarter Finalist on BBC’s Master Chef UK. Bobby gained the Gold for the Hospitality Chef Excellence award in 2018, as well as making the semi finals as National Chef Of The Year in the UK.
Olayemi Adelekan at ‘Yummy By Design’ is a passionate foodie and Master Chef UK 2022 Semi Finalist who has been cooking for over 40 years. She shares her love and passion for food through food blogging, content creation, private chef and private dining services, cooking demonstrations, pop up events and a weekly food feature (Yemi’s Food Stories) in The Stray Ferret local producers and their produces.Her fusion cooking transcends borders, combining the bold and aromatic spices of Nigeria, the comforting and classic flavours of British cuisine, the vibrant and tropical influences of the West Indies, and the rich and intricatespices of the Middle East.
Owen recently competed in BBC Master Chef UK 2023, finishing as a Quarter Finalist. Described as a ‘Flavour Master’ by chef John Torode and in the words of Gregg Wallace, Owen’s food is beautifully cooked.
Owen uses the freshest ingredients and combines exciting local produce with spices and herbs from his South African and Indian heritage. He is now working as a Private Chef in the Harrogate area, sharing his passion for food with a whole new audience.
International Chocolate Consultant Andrew Thwaite has worked with chocolate since 1995. He is never happier than when he is working with it, talking about it, learning about it or sharing his sweet skills with other people.
It all started when Andrew got hooked on chocolate after training to be a chef at Scarborough Technical College. Patisserie was his passion, chocolate fascinated him from the start and he knew that this was something he wanted to progress beyond the hotel kitchen.
In May 2021 Andrew purchased York Cookery School and in January 2023 he is relaunching the business as The Yorkshire Academy of Chocolate & Patisserie, a facility based in the North of England dedicated to professional training in patisserie, bakery, chocolate, sugar and ice-cream.
Greg Lewis moved to the UK from Australia back in 2005 working in various different kitchens from Pool Court (England’s only inner-city Michelin starred restaurant outside of London at the time), to Sous Chef under James Cooper at New Ellington.
In September 2021 Greg decided to join Sykes House Farm.Greg is a big part of all the exciting developments happening at Sykes House Farm. Sykes House Farm have plans in place to put a fantastic facility in, where some unique experiences will be available for both customers and chefs.
Having the chance to work with different meats daily, Greg is finding new and exciting ways to cook them. He is a culinary resource that is available to everyone to bounce ideas off. It’s great to have hi return to our festival for another fantastic cookery demo.
Sandy Docherty is a cook and baker who is fondly remembered for her role as one of the contestants on BBC’s hugely successful The Great British Bake Off 2015.
Known for her bubbly personality and down to earth approach, Sandy believes that baking enables everyone to express themselves in their own unique way. She enjoys teaching classes as it helps people bond and ensures a sense of achievement when they taste the finished results.
Since finishing the show, Sandy has been touring the country doing demonstrations at a variety of shows, whilst she continues to educate and engage with her audience through social media.
Self-taught Stefan Rose has enhanced his knowledge and experience of high-level patisserie by interning in some of the UK’s best restaurants, Hotels and Bakeries. Stints with Gordon Ramsay & Marcus Wareing to name a few, as well as closer to home, the Box Tree in Ilkley, have all contributed to a dynamic cooking style of exquisite seasonal desserts which are both are pleasing on the eye and full of flavour.
Responsible for all of Grantley Hall’s sweet offerings, Stefan and his team of eleven pastry chef’s provide their sensational desserts for a total of five different restaurants in the HotelStefan also runs his own YouTube channel, ‘Stef the Pastry Chef’ where he shares the secrets to cooking great desserts at home and has also made two appearances on the Great British Bake Off spin-off series, Bake Off: The Professionals.
Growing up in the open countryside of Lincolnshire, Josh developed a passion for cooking at an early age. He is a keen forager who enjoys searching for mushrooms, wild herbs and flowers, unique ingredients to create inspiring natural dishes.
With over a decade of experience in some of the UK’s finest Michelin-accredited kitchens, chef Josh Barnes has created a fresh tasting menu experience like no other at Chef’s Table, combining intimate fine-dining with the very best produce grown, reared and foraged on the Swinton Estate, Yorkshire and the North East.
