Celebrity chef to open deli after £750,000 refurb

A North Yorkshire deli will officially open to the public today following a £750,000 refurbishment to both the exterior and interior of its building.

Thomas of Helmsley will now also incorporate the Thomas the Baker bakery, which was previously based across the Market Place; all staff have remained employed in the new shop.

To celebrate the changes, a grand opening will take place with celebrity chef Stephanie Moon in-store on Saturday 30 September. She will  demonstrate how to use a wide range of products, making everything from gourmet sandwiches in freshly baked breads to quick and easy suppers with sausages and stir fries.

Stephanie, who is a Yorkshire farmer’s daughter, has worked in kitchens across the world, including The Dorchester and Harrogate’s Rudding Park. She now regularly works with Thomas the Baker to help create recipes for both the deli and the firm’s chain of 30 bake shops.

The Thomas of Helmsley building features a listed section which dates back to the 1800s. Thomas the Baker has owned the business since 2010.

Following work in 2016 to refurbish a separate outbuilding to create high grade kitchen and butchery preparation areas, major work has taken place over the summer both inside and outside the premises. Along with the securing of walls and foundations, a full internal refit was undertaken, with new deli and butchery counters, several new ovens for the bakery, a rear extension and a new rear roof. The upstairs staff rooms have also been entirely renovated and a fresh new exterior appearance will be revealed.

John Thomas, founder of Thomas the Baker, a family business employing three generations, said: “It’s fantastic to be so close to the finishing line now – the work has taken longer than we expected and, as is always the case when working with such a historic and beautiful building, you always find more things as you go along!

“But we’re delighted with the end result, which looks great, and is much more practical in terms of what we want to offer. We hope it will be a big hit with both new and loyal customers.”

Thomas the Baker was established in 1981, with the opening of a Bakery in Malton, quickly followed by Helmsley a year later. It now stands at 30 shops across Yorkshire, along with a head office based in Helmsley.