APPEARANCES can be deceptive. Tucked away, at the back of the atrium at York College is a rather bland room that you could easily mistake as a conference suite.

Yet step inside and you realise all is not as it seems. There is the buzz of people chatting and inviting aromas to make your tummy rumble. People face each other around tables armed not with pens and notebooks but knives and forks.

This is Ashfields, the restaurant at York College, which is open to the general public for lunchtime and evening dining.

It is "staffed" by students studying a variety of hospitality and cookery courses, supervised by tutors who've earned their stripes in the hospitality industry.

Leading the team is head chef Stuart Snell, a young-looking, ambitious 30 year old who has worked under Andrew Pern at the Michelin-starred restaurant The Star Inn at Harome and Peter Neville at The Pheasant Hotel, also at Harome, near Helmsley.

Stuart is in his fourth year at Ashfields and has been making his mark. The menus display his pedigree - on our visit, the likes of terrine of confit chicken, chestnut and girolle mushroom, onion marmalade and toasted brioche; risotto of Jerusalem artichoke, burnt onions, Yorkshire Blue, watercress, and warm pistachio and black cherry Bakewell with cherry sorbet were just three of the choices.

If that's not tempting enough, let me tell you the price. At lunchtime, one main course is £4.50, two courses are £6.50 and three courses just £9.45 – with tea or coffee £1 extra. The restaurant is fully licensed too. It has been winning rave reviews on Trip Adviser, which has awarded Ashfields a Certificate of Excellence.

York Press:

Chef Stuart Snell, above left, with some of his students at Ashfields

York foodies Steve and Denise Gorton from Copmanthorpe are regulars. "It is the hidden gem in Yorkshire," says Steve, who adds the couple often walk or cycle to the restaurant site at the end of Tadcaster Road. "We've been coming for the past five years and much more frequently since Stuart arrived and improved the place," he adds.

Denise says: "The ambience isn't bad; it's OK, it's comfortable. We come for the food, which is outstanding."

"Yes," Steve concurs. "We'd say it is some of the best food in York - and excellent value for money."

The couple, who also enjoy dining at Melton's in Scarcroft Road and Ye Old Sun Inn at Colton, say they like to attend special themed events run at the restaurant. There are a few planned already for 2016, including a Vegetarian Tasting menu on February 10 from 6.30pm (£23 per head) and a run of Guest Chef Nights offering a five-course dinner for £30.

Jo and Sandy Gillan live near Pontefract but like to dine at Ashfields when visiting their uncle, Ken Bratley, of Poppleton. The couple used to work in the hospitality industry and are full of praise for the front-of-house students in particular, many of whom work part-time in hotels and restaurants in the city alongside their training.

Sandy said: "Hotels in York are very lucky to have a place of this standard."

York Press:

Kevin Pratt, above, is busy in the kitchen while Rianne Hughes runs the restaurant

Rianne Hughes was the restaurant manager until recently, joining Ashfields following a career in event management. Working alongside Stuart, she broadened the scope of the venture, expanding into outside catering, including weddings.

She said: "We have catered at the Mansion House, the Guildhall and the York Food Festival. Last summer, we catered for 300 people at the VIP party for the inauguration of the High Sheriff of York at Skipwith Hall.

"These events give students an all-round flavour of the industry they are going into. It is so much more than just serving tables in a cafe or restaurant."

Eighteen-year-old Lauren Whittaker from Knaresborough is in the second year of a food and beverage service course. "Last year I learned the basics of how to serve and how to be a waitress and this year it is more about planning events, managing people and delegating. Next, I want to go into events management."

York Press:

Lauren Whittaker, above right, waiting tables at Ashfields

Lauren is among two groups of York College catering students who will compete in the regional heats of the prestigious national student cookery competition, Torque D'Or, at Birmingham next week. They perform in teams of three - two chefs and one front of house - to cook a meal for a table of eight people.

Kevin Pratt is also taking part in the competition. Aged 53, he is one of the older students under Stuart's charge, but is a rising talent and has already secured part-time employment at the Star Inn The City in York. It is a complete change of direction for Kevin who previously worked as a psychiatric nurse for 30 years.

He said: "It's hard work, but nursing was hard work too and we worked shifts - so it's not new to me." He wouldn't have it any other way and his dream is to one day have his own restaurant. "You get excellent experience here. It is a college environment but is run like a professional kitchen and it has a good reputation."

Chef Stuart is proud of his team and the high standards they produce at Ashfields. What is the secret of its success? "We use fresh produce and seasonal produce. I am a keen forager too, so we use a lot of foraged produce. We have collected acorns, roasted them and used them in ice-cream, it tasted quite malty.

"I like people to come and have food they have not had before. I want them to try different things and to leave with a smile on their face."

We could also add that diners leave with a full stomach (portion sizes are of the Yorkshire rather than nouvelle cuisine variety) and a not-so-empty wallet.

Ashfields Restaurant at York College is open for lunch Monday to Friday from 12 noon and for dinner on Wednesday and Thursday from 6.30pm. For more information and details on special events and outside catering, visit the college website yorkcollege.ac.uk, or the restaurant's Facebook page. For bookings, telephone 01904 770253.