8 June 2004
Head Chef Martin Barker - the Star of the North East
Martin Barker is a native of York and has been Head Chef at Middlethorpe Hall, Hotel, Restaurant & Spa since 1998. He is well-known for the originality and the superb quality of his food and recently his reputation has grown beyond the confines of the county.
He loves using seasonal local produce and his style of cooking combines all that is best in British cookery with a few delightful French touches, which he acquired during his work experience in Dijon.
His early training was as a commis chef at Middlethorpe Hall, and then he went to London where he was chef de partie at La Tante Claire, holder of 3 Michelin stars, and worked with Gordon Ramsay at his famous Michelin starred Aubergine Restaurant, before going to the Michelin starred 'La Grille Central' in Dijon.
Martin, being is a local boy, is pleased to be home again. His ambition is to improve Middlethorpe Hall's excellent reputation and take the restaurant ever upwards to gastronomic heaven. Martin loves using local produce, some of which comes from the garden at Middlethorpe Hall, and he is a great believer in using ingredients which are in season. Local dishes are a speciality, and don't be surprised to find parkin on the menu, Pontefract Cakes, Wensleydale Cheese and the crowning glory of the county, Yorkshire Pudding, in all its favourite forms.
Middlethorpe Hall Hotel, Restaurant & Spa,
Bishopthorpe Road,
York YO23 2GB
Tel: 01904 641241
Fax: 01904 620176
Email: info@middlethorpe.com
If you would like to have lunch or dinner at Middlethorpe Hall, to sample and write about Martin Barker's food, please telephone Ian Scott on 0207 439 1950.
