MasterChef finalist and Michelin-starred chef open new restaurant in Leeds city centre

A MasterChef semi-finalist and a Michelin-starred head chef are opening a brand new restaurant in Leeds city centre.

HOME, launched by Elizabeth Cottam, a semi-finalist of last year’s BBC MasterChef and Mark Owens, the former head chef at The Box Tree in Ilkley, will be located at 16-17 Kirkgate.

Set to open in August, HOME’s offering will include a ten-course tasting menu, featuring a wide range of seasonal and local ingredients.

The 3669 sqft venue for HOME has previously been a dance hall, billiard club, cinema and most recently the Indian restuarant, Darbar.

The venue is now being transformed into a 65 cover restaurant with bar area.

Elizabeth Cottam commented: “As someone who is Leeds born and bred, I’m really pleased to have found a place with such a rich heritage, and it’s now a part of the city that has been given a new lease of life thanks to recent developments like the Victoria centre with John Lewis and other high-end outlets.

“We are very excited to have secured this venue and that major work has now started to create something unique and really special for Leeds.”

All of HOME’s menus – three course lunch menus and smaller five course evening menus will also be available – will change every month and all feature locally, regionally and nationally-sourced ingredients.

Mark Owens commented: “We’re coming at this with a ‘HOME by name, home by nature’ approach and our monthly-changing menus will be a true celebration of everything Great British produce has to offer.

“We’ve spent a lot of time working together on our first menus and I know that we’ve found the very best that the country has to offer.”

Elizabeth Cottam concluded: “HOME is being created through our creative and nurturing approach to all elements of our work.

“From the design of the restaurant to the bringing together of our team of the very best local talent, and from the sourcing of the very best seasonal produce our country has to offer to the creation of some very special treats and surprises for our diners.

“HOME is something we are really proud of already and we’re looking forward to opening our doors in August with a really warm welcome.”