Chef profile - John Topham from the Alice Hawthorn in Nun Monkton

At the helm are Yorkshire hospitality royalty John and Claire Topham, known previously for putting the General Tarleton at Ferrensby on the Yorkshire culinary map. Prior to the GT, as it was fondly known, John was chef-partner at yet another Yorkshire treasure, the Angel at Hetton. John and Claire are now asserting the same brilliant reputation at the Alice for their food, excellent service and more recently, their stunning new rooms.

What was the first dish you remember cooking? That would have to be porridge. As a young child, I quickly learnt to sort myself out in the mornings. I’d have it for breakfast with a good helping of golden syrup.

Who is your culinary inspiration? That’s a hard one. I’d have to say that Marco Pierre White, who I was at college with, really led the way. To have a peer who was starting the food revolution was a real game-changer. I must also mention Terry Laybourne, who runs the 21 group up in Newcastle; he’s a great friend and a true inspiration. André Balazs, who opened the Chiltern Firehouse in London, also continues to impress me.

What are your favourite cookbooks? I have hundreds but the one I’m reading at the moment is from the Hidden Hut down in Cornwall. I visited recently and was blown away by the simple, fresh food. They do everything from homemade picnics to open-air feasts on the beach, and the cookbook is equally irresistible. However, the classic cookbook that I also return to has to be from the Walnut Tree in Abergavenny.

Who would be your three dream dinner guests? Another hard one but I know it would have to include the late Denis Watkins, my partner at the Angel in Hetton – we just had the best time working together. Our time at the Angel feels like the same journey I’m on now at the Alice Hawthorn, and I hope to make another Yorkshire institution here in Nun Monkton.

He’d also get on well with my second guest, rugby legend Jonny Wilkinson, as we’re all mad keen on the sport.

My third guest would be Robin Hutson, the game-changing British hotelier responsible for turning around Hotel du Vin and now in charge of the Pig Hotel Group, which I see as our benchmark in the South. He is constantly full of new ideas.

What are your guilty food pleasures? Portuguese custard tarts. I’m very vulnerable to these, even though I don’t normally have a sweet tooth.

What ingredient could you not live without? I just love aubergines. They’re so versatile, but I enjoy them best when smoked and roasted over a chargrill.

What are your post-lockdown plans for the Alice Hawthorn? We are very excited about the new guest bedrooms; they’re just phenomenal. Contemporary, calm and comfortable whilst keeping all the charm of the Grade II-listed country pub. Even though we’ve already achieved a lot, it feels as though the journey here is just beginning. We’re brimming with ideas, including a superb fruit and vegetable garden for the pub kitchen. As far as the menu is concerned, autumn is the most exciting season, with a bounty of fresh produce and wild game coming through the door. We don’t stand still here; our menus evolve all the time. We’ll always have the Alice classics, but we’ll keep on striving for those new customer favourites.

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