The heavyweights behind some of Leeds’ most decorated independent venues have joined forces to launch a major new project aimed at uniting and championing the city’s food and drink scene.
Sandy Jarvis, head chef of the award-winning Horsforth bistro Bavette, and Sam Pullen, owner of The Empire Cafe and Britain’s Best Pub, The Highland Laddie, have officially shared plans for The Leeds Hospitality Collective.
The brand-new independent initiative is designed to create an open, structured platform for restaurant, pub, and bar owners across the city to share knowledge, tackle industry-wide operational challenges, and look out for local talent.
Between them, the founders boast 40 years of hospitality experience and an incredible string of recent accolades. Horsforth’s Bavette has taken the food world by storm since opening, securing a Michelin Bib Gourmand and being named the UK’s Best Local Restaurant by The Good Food Guide. Meanwhile, sister venues The Empire Cafe and the newly revived Highland Laddie have drawn national praise from The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The Financial Times, with the latter securing the title of Britain’s Best Pub in The Good Food Guide.
Now, the duo want to use their combined expertise to give back to the city’s independent network. At a time when the hospitality sector faces massive ongoing economic pressures, the collective will offer crucial peer-to-peer support, practical advice, and a unified voice when speaking with local and national governments.
Mentorship will sit right at the heart of the project. Seasoned operators and managers will be paired up with emerging industry talent to guide them through everything from launching new openings and navigating complex commercial leases to recruitment strategies and menu development. The ultimate goal is to showcase hospitality as a genuinely rewarding, inspiring, and viable long-term career path.
The collective also wants to push Leeds further into the national spotlight, proving that the city’s independent scene can comfortably compete with the rest of the UK.
“Leeds has a really exciting hospitality scene which is so supportive of each other,” said Sandy Jarvis. “As such, we wanted to create a space for the owners of these venues to come together, share ideas and support each other in a more structured way. We want Leeds to be more outward-looking too; the Leeds personality is to crack on and work hard rather than shout about yourself, but maybe a bit more self-promotion is needed and with pride say to the rest of the country, ‘Look at us and all the great places here in Leeds.’”
Sam Pullen added: “Leeds has an incredibly strong independent hospitality scene, full of talent, creativity and resilience. We want to shout about that more – not just within the city, but nationally. By coming together, we can strengthen the hospitality landscape that already exists and continue its growth.”
Independent bar, pub, and restaurant operators across Leeds are being invited to register their interest right now through the Instagram pages of either Bavette bistro or The Highland Laddie ahead of the first official meeting. More details on the project are set to be shared over the coming weeks.
