The York Press continues its profiles of the winners in our business awards for 2023.

In the New Business category, the winner was the Homestead Kitchen in Goathland.

The Homestead Kitchen is a moorland restaurant run by Cecily Fearnley and partner, Peter Neville.

Peter is an accomplished chef, with over 30 years in the industry.

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After cooking in various Michelin star restaurants both in Yorkshire and London, and a 12 year stint co-owing a small boutique hotel and restaurant (The Pheasant Hotel, Harome) they were able to realise their dream of setting something up of their own.

Cecily said: “We had a clear vision of wanting to create a space that would become home for not just our family (we have two young children) but a home for our passions too. In 2021 we bought a farmhouse in Goathland, which is where I grew up, and after a frantic 8 week renovation, opened the doors to our relaxed fine dining restaurant.

“In the first two years since opening, we have developed a kitchen garden, growing a wide range of organic vegetables, along with planting an orchard, wild flower meadow, and an edible hedgerow. We are open Wednesday to Sunday all year round, and are so thrilled to say we have put ourselves on the map as somewhere to come for food cooked with genuine passion and skill, and welcomed with warmth and beautiful views of the moors.

“We were so excited to be shortlisted for Best New Business, unfortunately when it came to the awards night, the weather turned cold, and Goathland and the surrounding roads were cloaked in snow and ice.

“We made the difficult decision to miss the ceremony, but were over the moon to receive a video from a good friend who was there, showing the announcement that we had won! Starting a new business can be a daunting prospect, both Peter and I had 10 years experience in very different industries (my background lies in the research and manufacture of herbal medicines, apiceuticals, and natural skincare) so we knew in some ways what was ahead of us.

“Of course, we could never have predicted the unprecedented economic stresses we have faced, so to be thriving and able to continue to develop our business feels all the more rewarding. To receive the recognition from the York Press Business Award judges has been a wonderful boost, as we were up against some other fantastic enterprises.”