A fine dining restaurant in Leeds has been named the best in England this week as it was handed the prestigious gong at the Food Awards England 2022.
Run by former Masterchef finalist Jonathan 'Jono' Hawthorne, the New Briggate restaurant Chef Jono at V&V took home Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year at a glitzy awards ceremony.
Offering a modern British dining experience with a focus on seasonal produce and creative cooking, throughout the week it offers its signature tasting menu - an eleven course feast featuring the likes of 'ramen broth' with hen's egg, seaweed and corn, Gressingham duck, and 'mushroom tiramisu'.
Priced at £70, a matched wine pairing is available for another £70 on top.
San marzano tomatoes dressed in a tigers milk dressing and finished with some pistachio and salty cheese. / Image: Chef Jono at V&V
On Sundays, the restaurant serves a slightly different tasting menu geared towards everyone's gravy-soaked favourite: Sunday lunch.
Priced at £40, this seven-course Sunday tasting menu starts with an amouse bouche, moves to a celeriac veloute with langoustine oil and fennell Pollen, then on to traditional(ish) starters, a main of roast aged beef with Yorkshire pudding and red wine sauce, followed by a pre-dessert, a dish of potato, rhubarb tarragon and, finally, cheese.
The beef and Yorkshire pudding main from the Sunday roast tasting menu at Chef Jono at V&V. / Image: Chef Jono at V&V
Sharing the news to its social media pages on Wednesday, the restaurant wrote of its delight at landing the title of Best Fine Dining restaurant in England.
It said: "Bringing it home for Leeds last night. Thank you to everyone that has supported us our guests, our supporters and of course, our team.
"We are truly humbled and proud of everything we have accomplished. Congratulations to all the winners last night."
Chef 'Jono' Hawthorne trained at top restaurants in Denmark and Australia as well as at Ilkey's Box Tree.
He appeared on Masterchef: The Professionals in 2020, and after making it to the finals made the decision to reopen Vice and Virtue using his own name.
Chef Jono at V&V was not the only Yorkshire restaurant to take home a gong, either.
Other local eateries to pick up awards in the regional section included Sheffield's Amigos Mexican Kitchen (Best Mexican Establishment North), Ilkley's The Box Tree (Restaurant of the Year Yorkshire) and Holmfirth's Philomena Foggs (Café/Bistro of the Year Yorkshire).
In Halifax, Kiplings Restaurant took home Best Indian Establishment North and Best Indian Establishment Overall Winner.
The Food Awards said the awards "recognise the success of local professionals and establishments that continue delivering great flavours and experiences to their customers."
Feature image - Chef Jono at V&V
Leeds
Leeds pizza shop hailed ‘exceptional’ and ‘best in the UK’ by major reviewer
A Leeds pizza takeaway has received a glowing review from popular review duo.
Edges Pizza opened up their first permanent spot in Leeds back in June this year, after making a name for themselves slinging out pizzas at multiple pop-ups across the city.
Owners Grace and Edge from Harrogate opened Edges Pizza two years ago, taking inspiration from trips to New York over the years.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Their pizzas are a love letter to the class New York slice, think thin and crispy rather than chewy and floppy. But above all else, think absolutely delicious.
And now, they've caught the attention of a major review page, with Bite Twice Food Reviews (a page with almost 300k followers) paying Edges a visit.
The food review duo of Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany popped up in Holbeck beneath the arches to get their hands on a pizza, and the outcome is brilliant.
In the video, Bite Twice said that the pizza is 'f**cking exceptional' and up there with 'one of the best pizzas in the UK'.
Before even taking a bite, they said: "On aesthetic, I don't think anywhere in the UK is doing pizza like this".
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Then after the first bite, they go on to say: "There are very few pizzas in the UK that create this, I’m a little bit blown away".
As Londoners themselves, they go on to say that Edges is 'easily hitting with the best that we’ve got down south'.
And if that's not high praise enough, they sign off the video saying: "Leeds has got an absolute gem. I give this a stamp so hard my foot went through the pizza. Edges. Don Level."
The 42-year-old Kirkgate Market stall serving freshly shucked oysters for £1.90 a pop
Clementine Hall
Tucked away in Leeds Kirkgate Market you'll find a wonderful seafood stall selling freshly shucked oysters for £1.90 each.
It's places like these that remind us why we love Leeds so much.
Established in 1880, Hayes Seafood is widely regarded as the oldest trader within the historic Kirkgate Market.
For the past 42 years, it has been run by Cliff and Michelle, the loveliest couple who welcome every customer with open arms.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The menu here is small but perfectly formed, focusing on fresh, ready-to-eat seafood that you can enjoy with a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of mayonnaise at most.
Delivered fresh every morning, there's pre-cracked crab shells, brown and white crab meat, cockles, crawfish tails - all perfectly prepared for you to eat at their bar or high tables opposite.
But, it's the oysters that you'll see people queueing for. And rightly so.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Everything here is prepared to order right in front of you, and for no extra fee. You can choose from two types of oysters: super salty Lindisfarne oysters or the slightly sweeter English Loch Fyne.
We recommend having a couple of each, pulling up a stool right by the counter and getting stuck in. If you ask Cliff nicely, he might tell you a bit about the history of the place - but you may have to order a couple more oysters for that.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
You're left to dress them yourself, whether you prefer dash of fiery tabasco or a few pickled shallots. But to be honest, they're delicious just as they come.
This spot is a real piece of Leeds history, and the queues at lunchtime as well as the repeat regular customers proves just how special it is.
All it's missing is a champagne stall next to it...now wouldn't that be perfect?
Georgina Pellant -
9th June 2022 
