York City legend scores with new street food café
A café specialising in street food has opened at the Malton Enterprise Park, in North Yorkshire.
The Blu fig is run by York City footballing legend Andy McMillan and his family.
It is serving the 300-plus occupiers at the business park, next to the A64 York-Scarborough Road, as well as the town of Malton.
The Blu fig has 16 covers and a full takeaway service.
McMillan, who made almost 500 appearances for York City between 1987 and 1999, explained: “This is a tremendously exciting venture for myself and my family.
“We are working with our friends Sean and Sue Harrison, who own and run Malton Enterprise Park and we all believe a successful café is exactly what the park needs.
“A key to the future success of the Blu fig is the hiring of talented and experienced Yorkshire chef Andy Lodge, whose previous posts have included successful spells with the Army, popular restaurants in the South-West of England and London, and, most recently, at the Yorkshire Spa Retreat, near Helmsley.
“I feel as passionate about this project as I did about playing for York City back in the day. Malton has a reputation as the food capital of North Yorkshire and we believe the Blu fig will enhance this reputation even further. “
Lodge said: “This is a very timely and important project for me. I have been given a blank canvas to create a menu which is both nourishing, tasty and imaginative.
“The Blu fig isn’t going to be some formulaic café, it’s going to add something very special to one of the most successful business parks in North Yorkshire.
“I am a proud Yorkshireman, so much of the county’s wonderful produce will be a key ingredient of my dishes. These will include an English breakfast special in a tortilla wrap, steamed Bao buns with Chinese style crispy pork belly, Korean Fried Chicken and Pulled Brisket with sweet chilli and soy on a flatbread.
“At the same time, there will be a wide variety of hot and cold drinks, traditional sandwiches, pastries and cakes. So, there’s something for absolutely everyone.”
The opening of the Blu fig is the first phase of a new Health Hub at Malton Enterprise Park, which already includes a gym will soon feature six new padel and pickleball courts, which will also be run by the McMillans.
Sean Harrison added: “We are very proud of what we have already achieved at our business park, creating hundreds of new and sustainable jobs.
“What the park has lacked, until now, is a quality café and restaurant to service everyone who works here. The Blu fig, with its exciting and nourishing food, is the perfect solution.”
