Even as a Yorkshire school boy, chef Tim Bilton – of The Spiced Pear Hepworth – lived and breathed great British food. From his early days working as a kitchen porter in the school holidays, peeling and washing huge sacks of carrots and potatoes, he was aware of the importance of quality produce and ingredients.
After two years training under Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons he returned to his roots as head chef at Bibis Italian Restaurant in Leeds city centre and, in 2008, took on The Butchers Arms in Hepworth, transforming it from a failing business into a family-friendly dining pub with British food at its heart.
Passionate about simple, sustainable food, his policy was (and remains) to use ingredients from within a 75 miles radius – with neighbouring gardeners even dropping off their trugs of local vegetables and fruit on his doorstep – and a flurry of awards followed including a Deliciouslyorkshire for ‘The Best Use of Regional Produce on the Menu’, beating off stiff competition from 450 other entries, ‘Best Gastropub’ at the Great British Pub Awards and a listing in The Good Food Guide.
At every opportunity, he would shout about British (and Yorkshire) food, first by representing the North East in two seasons of the BBC’s Great British Menu, and then as ‘2011-12 Deliciouslyorkshire Champion’ – the official ambassador of Yorkshire food and drink. He also reinstated the local Hepworth Feast, bringing families and community members together through regional food and music at a truly local event.
In May 2013, Tim opened The Spiced Pear in Sheffield Road turning it into Yorkshire’s destination fine dining restaurant, vintage tearoom and cocktail bar, with a Yorkshire Tasting Menu, offering bespoke bites from the local area. Awards for his best of British food have included Deliciouslyorkshire ‘Best Afternoon Tea’, Yorkshire Life‘Newcomer of the Year’ and ‘Chef of the Year’, and ‘Readers Restaurant of the Year for the North East’ from theWaitrose Good Food Guide 2015.
Despite the accolades, however, the team’s focus remains on the produce, which continues to be sourced from a band of loyal, local British suppliers, made using pure, artisan or traditional methods, with minimal intervention and lashings of skill and craftsmanship. Suppliers include Shepherd’s Purse, Greedy Little Pig, Ampleforth Cider, Cannon Hall Farm, Round Green Farm, and the list goes on.
With a Raymond Blanc-inspired allotment plot, which supplies fully traceable herbs, salads and fruit, it’s hoped the restaurant will be fully sustainable by 2015 with ingredients grown even closer to home!