National Park inn relaunched with new chef at the helm
An historic North Yorkshire inn is back in business and being run by chef Sam Varley and his team.
The Owl at Hawnby is in the North York Moors National Park and has nine guest bedrooms. The premises re-opened at the end of last month.
Varley said: “We have been bowled over by the generous comments and feedback we have received and it is wonderful to see this very special inn buzzing with fun and joy again.
“We have been consistently busy as the word spreads that we are open and I am very proud that we are now putting Hawnby on the map again.”
Varley is also chef and co-owner of Bantam, the Michelin-acclaimed restaurant in Helmsley, which is listed in the top 100 local restaurants nationwide in the Good Food Guide.
He added: “It is important to stress that Bantam is in very good hands with head chef Shane Leadley, and general manager Alex Foots, while I relaunch the Owl.
“We are both now building up to Christmas and we are determined to make this festive season the best ever at both establishments.”
The Owl will be launching a special Christmas menu shortly, with the restaurant being open all day on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve.
Varley said: “As we plan and execute our special Christmas menus, we are fortunate to be part of the Hawnby Estate, which has a plentiful supply of game, beef, lamb and vegetables, while the wonderful North Yorkshire coast, with its abundance of fish, is less than a hour away.”
Jamie Savile, from Mexborough Estates, said: “The arrival of Sam at the Owl is great news. In only a couple of years, Sam has established Bantam as one of the finest restaurants in area.
“I am very confident that Sam’s move to the Owl will be a tremendous success, making the most of the inn’s enormous potential.
“Sam and his team all share our enthusiasm and desire to build a sustainable and successful rural hospitality business and in particular it is great that Sam shares our love and understands the importance of the classic British country pub.”
