FOOD
Husband-and-wife team celebrates
successful first year at restaurant
A
husband-and-wife team is celebrating
a successful first year in business at a
popular village pub.
Chef Paul Bussey, who once worked
for acclaimed TV chef Gordon Ramsay,
left his role as head chef at Acklam Hall in
Middlesbrough to take on the King’s Arms
in Great Stainton, on the outskirts of Newton
Aycliffe, in August 2017.
And with his wife Ycheng heading up the
team’s front-of-house staff, the pair have
enjoyed a fruitful opening 12 months.
The King’s Arms re-opened a year ago after
an extensive refurbishment following a lengthy
closure.
Twelve months on and it now employs 15
staff – including Nepalese sous chef Bhakta
Thapa, chef de partie Sylvester Scallon and
trainee chef James Lapping – and is winning
rave reviews for its evening meals and weekend
lunches.
“It’s going well – we get a lot of good positive
feedback,” said 33-year-old Paul.
“It’s difficult for restaurants to make a profit
in their first year, but we’re delighted with how
it has gone.
Husband-and-wife team: Chef Paul
Bussey and Ycheng outside the King’s
Arms in Great Stainton, which they re-
opened a year ago.
“We’ve got a good product which we believe
in, we just have to keep it going.”
Paul and Ycheng, 34, are making a success of
the King’s Arms despite juggling a busy family
life. The couple, who married five years ago,
have two children – Ethan, 7, and Isla, 4.
But they say their success is largely down
to using local suppliers, as well as having a
talented team.
“We try to use as much seasonal produce
as we can with fresh ingredients and we have
a good relationship with the local farmers,”
added Paul.
“We get all our meat from local suppliers –
we have a farmers’ night every Thursday – and
we get our fish from Hartlepool.
“So we’re trying to use as much local supplies
as we possibly can.”
The King’s Arms is now serving lunches 12-
3pm Mon-Sat as well as Afternoon Tea 12-5pm
Mon-Sat, and evening dinner 5.30-9.30pm
Mon-Sat, with Sunday lunches served 12-6pm.
They’re also holding a Birthday BBQ
celebration on Sunday August 27, 12-6pm.
You can find the King’s Arms on Facebook and
Instagram, or to reserve a table call 01740 630873.
Tees pub finalist in three
national pub award categories
T
eesside’s most decorated restaurant
is battling it out with other eateries
from around the UK in three separate
categories of a national awards competition.
Chadwicks Inn Maltby has made the last
six of the Best Wine Pub category in the John
Smith’s Great British Pub awards, a renowned
competition among restaurateurs which
attracts hundreds of entries from around the
country.
Meanwhile head chef Steve Lawford has
been shortlisted in the final of the Chef of the
Year category and sous chef Scott Sutherland
has made the last four in the Young Chef of the
Year category.
They’ve already taken part in a final “cook
off ”, held in Oxfordshire, and the winners of
all categories will be revealed at the awards
ceremony, at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in
London, on September 6.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to have made
the final in not just one of the categories, but
three!” smiled Chadwicks co-owner Helen Gill.
“We know the competition attracts hundreds
of entries from all around the UK, so just to be
shortlisted to the finals is a great achievement.”
Steve, age 31, and Scott, aged 22, have both been
with Chadwicks for four years.
The renowned restaurant was celebrating
again earlier this year after retaining a prestigious
Michelin Bib Gourmand award for a third
successive year.
Chadwicks is again the region’s only restaurant
to receive the much sought-after accolade,
exclusive to Michelin Guide-listed restaurants
offering exceptionally good food at moderate
prices.
With two AA Rosettes and a listing in the
Michelin Guide for the past eight years, Helen is
hoping the awards keep coming.
“We have a very hard-working team here at
Chadwicks and it really is nice to see all the hard
work pay off with recognition like this,” added
Helen.
“It would be lovely to win one of them, the icing
on the cake so to speak, but we’re happy with being
finalists and we’ll enjoy the occasion.”
Helen and co-owners Gary Gill and Lee Tolley
will join chefs Steven and Scott at the awards final
in September.
Chadwicks Inn Maltby head chef Steve Lawford
has been shortlisted to the final of Chef of the Year
in the John Smith’s Great British Pub awards.
Chadwicks sous chef Scott Sutherland
made the last four in the Young Chef of the
Year category in the John Smith’s Great
British Pub awards.
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