A CHEF who cut her teeth working for one of the region’s best regarded restaurateurs has taken over the Bowlees Visitor Centre cafe in upper Teesdale.
Cheryl Laver honed her kitchen skills at venues operated by Terry Laybourne’s 21 Hospitality Group, in Newcastle, including Caffe Vivo and Cafe 21 at Fenwick.
Ms Laver won the tender put out by the North Pennines AONB Partnership – responsible for running the visitor centre – to operate the cafe at Bowlees, which she has renamed The Ford Kitchen.
She is being joined in the venture by her partner Charlie Colling.
“It is our first business and we are really excited that it’s going to be at Bowlees,” said Ms Laver.
She said taking on the venture at Bowlees was something of a step into the unknown, as the venue, being part of a visitor centre, was not a traditional cafe.
“Hopefully, once we get settled in, it will become a place to come just as a much for the food as well as the walking.
“My intention has always been to open up my own place. The opportunity at Bowlees has come along at just the right time.”
She plans to put her experience to good use.
“My background is quite varied, from pastry to charcuterie, and it was high volume at Fenwick’s, but this is going to be a bit of a change for me.”
It has also been a speedy turnaround at the cafe, which last year was operated by Middleton-in-Teesdale’s Cafe Fresh.
The tender was advertised shortly before Christmas, and Ms Laver opened for business last weekend.
In the coming weeks and months, she promises a menu full of seasonal, classic food and daily specials freshly made.
Her menu will offer the best of locally sourced produce, snacks such as hot Italian porchetta and rocket sandwiches, hot chicken breast sandwiches with Indian spices, hearty soups, mouthwatering cakes, scones and afternoon teas.
“We love the area and this is our dream to be living and working in the dales. The dales have a lot to offer in the way of food and we are in the exciting position in The Ford Kitchen to create new dishes using these wonderful, local resources.”
The Bowlees Visitor Centre has now reopened for 2018.
It is open daily this week (school half term); weekends only from February 19 to March 16; and then daily from March 17 to October 28.
Mandy Oliver, visitor services officer with the AONB Partnership, said: “We are looking forward to a busy year at Bowlees Visitor Centre.
“We’ve got a full programme of events, activities and workshops for people to enjoy alongside some beautiful exhibitions by local artists in our upstairs gallery.”
For more details visit www.visitbowlees.org.uk.
