Tommy Banks – a great British Chef and a really nice guy
The Black Swan at Oldstead was Tommy Banks’ family home when he was a teenager and it was here that he first started cooking and found his love for food, today he has changed it into a Michelin starred restaurant with rooms and a 2 acre vegetable plot.
We first came across Tommy when he appeared on The Great British Menu in 2016 unbeknown to us he had been working very hard before then becoming the youngest chef, at 24, to keep a Michelin Star in 2013. However, in 2016 he went on to represent the North at the Banquet with his Mackerel fish dish. Ever since then my hubby has been wanting to sample his cooking.
So as part of his big ‘0’ birthday celebrations I booked us in for B&B and a 12 courses taster menu with wine flutes (of course). We followed the sat nav and found ourselves driving along tiny country lanes which had at least two inch high grass growing in the middle! Obviously not many people take this route! We were very lucky to find ourselves outside the Black Swan without meeting any oncoming traffic.
Straight away we were taken with how quaint the restaurant/pub looked. We parked round the back alongside the ex-outhouses which have been converted into lovely, modern rooms which over look the vegetable ‘garden’.
The Rooms
The room was smart and chic with a huge bathroom with rolltop bath.
Enjoying the last of the afternoon sun outside our room, counting down the time till we get to eat!
The food:-
We thoroughly enjoyed the whole meal and were doubly chuffed when Tommy actually brought out our main course.
It was an amazing experience and everyone was so friendly and informal. If you get the change to go, don’t miss it.
