BBC MasterChef announces launch of third Leeds venue

Matt Healy, the Yorkshire-born chef who was runner-up in BBC’s MasterChef: The Professionals, is to launch his third venue in Leeds.

Healy and his team Seventh Course will take over the reins at The Beehive in Thorner.

The team has already had success at their restaurants Matt Healy x The Foundry, which opened in the city’s South Bank area in May last year, and Grön Kafe in Oakwood, which opened in September.

Healy said: “This is such an exciting time for us at Seventh Course and we’re so proud of the success our existing restaurants Matt Healy x The Foundry and Gron Kafe have achieved in a short time.

“We’ve been working on our business plan behind the scenes for several years now, and to see it come to fruition is fantastic. The people of Leeds have been so supportive, and it’s their feedback and encouragement that motivates us to keep pushing ourselves.

“We feel really passionately about contributing to the Leeds dining scene and continuing to push the boundaries to improve the offering for diners across the city.”

He added: “The Beehive is obviously a well-known name in north Leeds but we’ll be changing it up, shifting the concept towards a gastropub feel within a beautiful village pub, serving simple pub classics with a modern twist and hopefully creating a welcoming, friendly venue that will become a hub of the community. You’ll be able to catch up with mates over a pint or pop in for a nice meal with the family.”

The Beehive will re-open with the Seventh Course team at the helm this summer.

Yorkshire-based Nanu Soda have been appointed to carry out the interior design.

Horsforth-born Healy shot to fame in 2016 when he was runner-up in the professional version of the BBC cooking programme.

Healy previously worked at El Gato Negro in Manchester, a former Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant and winner of Gordon Ramsay’s best Spanish restaurant in the F Word TV show.