TELEVISION chef Heston Blumenthal returned to York – shining a culinary spotlight on the city once again.

York will be appearing in Heston’s Fantastical Food series for a third time after camera crews followed the chef on a visit to Nestlé.

Heston, famed for his experimental approach to food, visited the factory in Haxby Road on Tuesday.

He toured the factory’s archives to learn about old chocolate recipes before turning his hand to recreating some treats from the past.

A spokesman for Nestlé said: “Heston was looking into the history of chocolate bars, and how they have developed through time.

“He looked through our archives, and researched the Quaker movement in York and the impact it had on workers and the chocolate they were producing.”

Heston’s visit followed a trip to York for his 2012 Christmas Special of the Channel 4 series, during which he visited Shambles as well as paying a visit to the Earl Grey Tea Rooms and Shambles Butchers.

For an earlier episode in the series, the Michelin star chef visited the Nestlé factory to find out the processes involved in creating chocolate bars.

Heston consulted staff to work out how to “supersize” Rolos, make the sourest Fruit Pastilles a human can taste and create the world’s largest KitKat.

Following his visit to Nestlé this week, Heston surprised staff at York’s new Star Inn The City restaurant by calling in with his crew for an evening meal.

Restaurant director Justin Brosenitz said: “It was fantastic. Heston is really top of his game so to have him here was great for us and a boost for the staff.

“He was very friendly, took lots of pictures for the staff, and signed a chef’s jacket which we’ll be putting on display.”

Heston and his team enjoyed sharing starters of posh prawn cocktail, surf and snout and beetroot ravioli, followed by steak for main, which was all washed down with rhubarb schnapps.