18-20 Coach St, Skipton BD23 1LH
Skipton has no shortage of fantastic independent restaurants, offering diverse menus of dishes prepared using excellent Yorkshire produce. Elsworth Kitchen has been open for just under a year now and has successfully built up a great reputation with both locals and those slightly further afield. Owned and managed by talented Husband and Wife duo, Rebecca and Bruce Elsworth, it boasts a welcoming, family-friendly environment and serves thoughtfully created dishes, made using some of the region’s finest produce.
As part of our “We Love Skipton” campaign, we wanted to speak to the owners of what is rapidly becoming, one of Skipton’s favourite restaurants. Here’s what Bruce and Rebecca had to say…
Rebecca, both you and Bruce boast extensive experience in the hospitality industry. What was the inspiration behind Elsworth Kitchen?
Rebecca: Elsworth Kitchen came at both the most perfect and the craziest time of our lives! We’d been planning for our own venue for some time. We’ve both worked at some amazing places and with some talented people – Bruce is an award-winning chef and was previously Chef Director at the renowned Angel at Hetton for 20 years and has also worked with Nigel Haworth at Northcote Manor. I managed at The Devonshire Fell, Devonshire Arms, Craven Heifer Addingham and I also launched Friends of Ham in Ilkley.
We are both from Skipton so the area is really special to us. I was pregnant when we found the ideal location for Elsworth Kitchen, which was just another challenge for us! We wanted Elsworth kitchen to be a combination of all the good things we enjoy when we go out – good, honest and local ingredients that are cooked fresh, with the added bonus of a warm and welcoming atmosphere for all. Everyone finds a spot at Elsworth Kitchen, from families and large celebrations wanting full meals to friends meeting for coffee, business meetings, and couples looking for a quiet dinner for two.
At Elsworth Kitchen, you offer creative dishes using quality ingredients. How important is it to you that these ingredients are locally sourced where possible?
Bruce: Very important! Over the years we have built up great relationships with local producers and suppliers. We know where our ingredients are coming from and even who has grown them or made them. We regularly go out and meet our producers at their premises and I have been known to serve up my own fruit and veg grown at my mum’s allotment and picked that day!
What can your diners expect to find behind your bar?
Having a good selection of wines, beers, spirits & cocktails was very important to us. We have taste tested all our drinks (which was a hard job, haha). We have a great selection of wines at a good price. We have a good selection of beers from Hetton down the road and wheat beers all the way from to Belgium.
We host a lot of events around pairing specialists drinks with Bruce’s food and we have just hosted a beer and food pairing event with North Brew Co. Christian, the owner, is also Skipton local and he came and spoke to guests about his beers – it worked really well! We have also recently hosted a Gin and Cheese night which was very popular – so much so that we’re hosting another one next year!
At Elsworth Kitchen, you’re very much family friendly. Could you tell us a little more about your children’s menu and play area?
Rebecca: We had so much fun setting up our mini Elsworth Kitchen! As new parents ourselves we feel it’s incredibly important that families with young children feel relaxed and welcome. We have a healthy but fun children’s menu which changes frequently and features anything from Salmon bites to hotdogs. We are all too aware that little legs like to explore, so we built a mini Elsworth Kitchen upstairs to keep minds and hands occupied while parents and friends relax.
We also host a baby group on a Tuesday morning for first-time mums with babies under one, called ‘Winging It’. This has worked really well and we all help each other through the early stages of motherhood. We are also part of ‘Compassion for New Mums’ which is an NHS scheme, to show mothers they are welcome and we will support them where we can.
What events do you have planned between now and Christmas?
We have lots of exciting events lined up for the coming weeks which we’re really excited about. They include:
Wine for the Christmas table (10th November): Our Sommelier, Patrice, will be talking though some amazing wines, perfect for Christmas! 5 Wines will be paired with 5 tasty dishes with a festive feel. Tickets £45 per head. All food & 5 taster wines included. Starts at 4 pm
Christmas Shopping Event (21st November – 6.30-9.30pm): Ticketed event – £5.00. Includes a glass of mulled wine & a percentage will go to local charity, Selfa. There will be local artisan stalls for a unique shopping experience. The bar will be open and food will be available.
New Years Eve Dinner: On New Years Eve we will be open for Dinner Service with bookings from 6pm till 9pm. We are offering a Set Menu with 2 courses for £30 or 3 Courses for £35
Burns Night (Saturday 25th January): We will be celebrating Burns Night with a 4 Course Scottish Taster Menu. Available from 6pm till 9pm with 4 Courses for £35 or 4 Courses & 4 Whisky Tasters for £50
Elsworth Kitchen is open Tuesday to Thursday 8:30 am – 5 pm, Friday 8:30 am – 11 pm and Saturday 9 am – 11 pm. On Sunday & Monday they are usually closed but do open for Bank holiday weekends and special events in Skipton. Throughout the month December, they’ll also be open Thursday evenings.
This article is part of our “We Love Skipton” campaign, launched to help promote the wonderful independent businesses in Skipton. Be sure to check out our fantastic competition to be in with a chance of winning a Skipton hamper worth over £200!
