New restaurant venture for North Yorkshire entrepreneur
A POPULAR North Yorkshire restaurant has re-launched under new ownership following £150,000 refit.
The Cook’s Café, in Stokesley, has been taken over by local businessman Graham Howard, who already runs a long-established building company in Brotton near Saltburn.
A total of six new jobs have been created as a result of the investment taking the total number of staff to 17.
The restaurant has been renamed Howards to mark its new era and two well-known faces from the culinary scene in the region have been placed at the helm.
Peter Holligon, formerly of Chapters Hotel in Stokesley, the Three Tuns in Osmotherley and the Tontine near Northallerton, has taken over as restaurant manager.
Peter Barnes, best known for his work as senior sous chef at Judges Hotel near Yarm, brings more than 15 years’ experience to Howards and is now the restaurant’s head chef.
The restaurant specialises in providing informal dining and a mix of dishes using locally-sourced ingredients.
As well as offering a range of food including Whitby-caught crab linguine and a selection of hand-rolled luxury pizzas, Howards also serves teas, coffees and pastries, local beers and fine wines.
Mr Howard said: “There have been several highly-regarded eateries on this site, on College Square in Stokesley, and Howards will continue with this tradition by offering both locals and visitors the chance to experience our relaxed hospitality and tasty food in the ideal location.
“It is a great privilege to have such experienced people at the helm who have worked at some of the best restaurants in the North East and who are helping to put Stokesley on the culinary map.”
