A CHEF who cut his teeth working for aristocrats in historic homes has launched a 25-cover restaurant in a village near the A19.

Richard Johns, whose previous venture in East Yorkshire won Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year, said he and his wife, Lindsey, would work to the Michelin benchmark after revamping the former farm shop and cafe at Raskelf, between Thirsk and Easingwold.

He said they aimed to offer an affordable alternative to the nearby Michelin-starred The Black Swan and Star Inn restaurants at Rascills, named after what the village was named as in the Doomsday book.

Mr Johns said he wasn’t interested in culinary fashions and would instead focus on producing “cutting-edge comfort food”, based on classic dishes.

He added: “I work single-handedly in the kitchen, which you don’t get very often these days. Going for Michelin stars is really dangerous territory, the customer can just get lost in it all.”