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Two Michelin starred restaurant makes Durham return following £400k makeover

The Raby Hunt restaurant, based near Darlington in Durham, has reopened after temporarily closing its doors to allow for £400k worth of refurbishment work.

Now complete, the two Michelin starred eatery boasts an extended and redeveloped kitchen, as well as the building of a new restaurant entrance and installation of glass walls allowing diners to view chef-patron James Close and his team prepare their food.

The venue made culinary history last autumn when Michelin awarded the former 200 year old drovers’ inn a second prestigious star, a first for either a North East-based chef or restaurant.

James, 37, commented: “This is the first time The Raby Hunt has been closed since taking it on seven years ago. Having gained a second Michelin star last autumn, the time was right to invest and put The Raby Hunt on not just the UK’s good food map, but the world’s.

“We want to make The Raby Hunt more unique than it already is, and ensure our guests experience an even greater ‘wow’ factor when they dine with us.

“This has been a major investment for us, but I am confident it has moved The Raby Hunt up another step.”

James has worked with Create Architecture of Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, Newcastle-based restaurant, catering equipment, and kitchen suppliers, Crosbys, and local building firms, on the refurbishment.

He continued: “It was important to me to use North East-based suppliers and builders. I wanted to ensure as much of the work as possible stayed in the region.

“It has been great collaborating with Crosbys, who understand the unique challenges that can be thrown up by working in the hospitality arena.

“For Create Architecture, this was their first restaurant project, but it meant they came to the job with no preconceptions or constraints and listened rather than paid lip service to what we wanted.”

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