Masterchef contestant spices up city food culture with her own restaurant

HOME has been cooked up by Liz Cottam, who is from Leeds, and her business partner Mark Owens, the former head chef at the Michelin-starred, The Box Tree in Ilkley.

They brand the restaurant, in a space in Kirkgate in the city that has previously been a dance hall, billiard club, cinema and Indian restaurant, as ‘fine dining, re-imagined’.

It will have monthly set menus from seasonal three-course lunches to ten course tasting menus.

Serious food fans can book a chef’s table experience offering unique insights into the creation of the dishes, served personally by the duo, who have also created a monthly ‘guinea pig’ dinner party concept. Guests can book but will not be given a menu and each course will be a surprise.

Ms Cottam told the Yorkshire Post: “This project has been an incredible journey so far.

“Mark and I have poured our hearts and souls into the restaurant and hope guests will enjoy sharing the experience with us and much as we have enjoyed bringing it to life.

“It means a great deal to be able to open a restaurant in your home town and we’re looking forward to showing people a new way of experiencing fine dining, right on their doorstep.”