Restaurateur Of The Year
Tommy Banks
Tommy Banks has had a very busy lockdown, pivoting from running two successful restaurants as well as farm to creating one of the biggest success stories in the restaurant meal kit sector. With Made in Oldstead Banks chose to take on much of the heavy lifting on his own, setting up a website and creating a nationwide home meal delivery kit with a regularly changing menu. The move helped secure the future of his business during the pandemic and also enabled his staff to retain their jobs.
Banks also used the bounty of his farm to help others with him and his team making regular food deliveries to frontline NHS staff at the height of the pandemic.
In addition to all this, Banks’ restaurant group was recognised by Michelin earlier this year, with his York-based Roots picking up a Michelin star, the first in the city to do so, and his flagship fine dining restaurant The Black Swan at Oldstead winning a new green star, recognising its sustainability credentials.
view Black Swan at Oldstead profile
The Restaurateur of the Year award is sponsored by Open Table