THE former head chef at London's famous restaurant The Ivy has designed the latest addition to York's dining out scene as part of a hotel refurbishment creating 90 jobs.

The Refectory Kitchen & Terrace opened at the Royal York Hotel on Thursday, hot on the heels of the hotel's new bar Chapter House, which was unveiled two weeks ago.

The restaurant and bar have been developed by restaurateur Des McDonald, who for more than a decade ran the celebrity-favoured London hotspot before starting his own solo venture in 2013.

Helping Mr McDonald with his first venture in Yorkshire is York-born Nick Evans, who has been appointed executive chef at the new 161-cover restaurant The Refectory which celebrates locally-sourced food.

Mr Evans, who lives in Acomb and joins the restaurant from Middlethorpe Hall Hotel, said: "Yorkshire has some of the finest produce on offer, so it makes complete sense to use some of the best of them in our dishes.

"It becomes a much more exciting offering; the menu will change according to the seasons and will be packed with dishes that we know our guests will enjoy. We’re proud to be championing local suppliers."

Mr McDonald honed his culinary skills by cooking in five-star hotels including The Ritz and the Sheraton Park Tower in Knightsbridge.

In 1992 he got his big break with Caprice Holdings, working as head chef at the Ivy Restaurant. After 20 years with the Caprice Group, in which Mr McDonald moved from kitchen to boardroom, working for the last 12 years in a managing director and group chief executive role, he set up his own restaurant business.

Mr McDonald said: "It’s been a great experience working with Nick and his team. They’ve worked hard to create a menu that is bursting with flavour.

"Collaboration is key here: I’ve been able to share my experiences but learn a lot about what Yorkshire has to offerWe’re all looking forward to welcoming guests so that they can see the results of months of hard work."

"We set out to create seasonal dishes that are bursting with flavour and make use of the world-class quality of ingredients found across Yorkshire. We are proud to champion local produce."

The Refectory Kitchen & Terrace has been designed by award-winning architects Michaelis Boyd, whose clients range from London’s Groucho Club and Soho House Group to the Byron restaurant chain.

The restaurant forms part of the multi-million pound renovation programme underway at the Grade II-listed Royal York Hotel, which dates back to 1878.

Stephen Carter, hotel general manager, said: "We are investing millions of pounds in The Royal York Hotel to restore it to its original glory while creating new restaurant and bar concepts that we believe will appeal equally to hotel guests and people who have made York their home.

"The city’s world-class heritage attracts visitors from across the UK and around the world. We hope to put The Royal York Hotel ‘back on the map’ by working closely with local businesses, suppliers and cultural partners."