New role for Masterchef's Tom Rennolds (From Craven Herald)

Masterchef runner-up in charge of new menu at Craven Heifer, Addingham

10:00am Sunday 23rd September 2012 in News

Masterchef runner-up Tom Rennolds is hoping to create food magic at the newly reopened Craven Heifer in Addingham .

The pub – which has undergone a £225,000 makeover – is now being run by Craig Minto, who is also in charge of a second pub in the village, The Fleece.

He is now planning to link the two pubs and create a cookery school at The Fleece, while providing rooms and accommodation for students at the Craven Heifer.

Meanwhile, Mr Rennolds will be in charge of a new menu featuring locally-sourced ingredients, while all beers will come from a 10-mile radius of the pub and a range of locally sourced gins, whiskies and cask ales from microbrewers will also be served.

Mr Minto has been put in place by Punch Taverns, who own the Craven Heifer, which has been operating as a Chinese restaurant, since it closed as a pub last year.

But Mr Minto is hoping the refurbishment, which includes exposed beams, open fire place and jam jars as light fittings, will be a success.

“The pub is looking great and a lot of effort has been made to ensure it looks different and fresh while remaining traditional,” he said. “By creating lots of smaller dining areas, as opposed to the open plan space which looked modern, I think the pub now has a warmer and friendlier atmosphere.

“Where The Fleece specialises in traditional pub grub, The Craven Heifer will serve Yorkshire fare of the finest quality.

“Our new head chef Tom Rennolds is highly-skilled and I have every confidence that he can help us re-position The Craven Heifer as a destination food pub.”