A CHEF who started out as a trainee at Raymond Blanc's two Michelin Star restaurant has unveiled her plans for York Minster's new restaurant.

Diners at the city's Refectory Restaurant which opens later this year under the direction of chef Bex Toppin can expect seasonal, high-quality ingredients sourced from local suppliers, at reasonable prices.

City of York Council’s planning committee unanimously agreed to grant planning permission for the new refectory restaurant on the site of the former Minster school in December.

York Press:

A new Refectory Restaurant in former York Minster School.

The world-famous cathedral costs £22,000 per day to maintain and York Minster’s director of works and precinct, Alex McCallion, previously told city  councillors that the refectory would help towards this.

The main ground floor hall restaurant is likely to have capacity for 60-plus covers with breakfast and lunch options and evening menus; and smaller function and private dining rooms upstairs.

Breakfast and brunch options will range from traditional bacon sandwiches on locally-sourced bread to kedgeree using locally-smoked haddock.

Lunch and dinner will include a selection of small plates and seasonal brasserie-style dishes.

Plans are still being finalised, but the new team expect to have a small daytime takeaway counter area with homemade cakes, breakfast lunch options and drinks.

York Press:

The former Minster School 

Bex and her partner Will Pearce opened Robinsons Cafe in Bishopthorpe Road in 2016, offering good quality but affordable dining.

They hope to bring that winning combination to the Minster's new venture.

"The food at the Minster Refectory Restaurant will be sourced locally as much as we can," said Bex, who expects the dishes to have two or three main elements which work well together.

"The idea is a simple one - to let all the high-quality ingredients shine through, without any fuss. If the ingredients are good you don't need to do that much with the food."

At Robinsons the menu is supported by seasonal and local produce with a worldly flavour from the independent shops, butchers and grocers of York's 'Bishy Road'.

"We really want to carry on that focus of local, good quality, seasonal, dishes at the Refectory Restaurant," she added.

One challenge they will face at the new restaurant is setting full multi-course menus and preparing food for a new large restaurant.

"It's a challenge, for sure, but I'm really excited about that opportunity, of being able to prepare special and seasonal dishes, but in the much larger dining environment we will have at the Refectory Restaurant."

She added: "The upstairs has amazing views of the Minster which will be unbelievable for special occasions. I can see that being very, very popular."

Bex, who is originally from Darlington, started as a trainee chef in 2007 at Raymond Blanc's two Michelin Star, Oxfordshire Le Manoir aux Quat'Saison.

She was two years under head chef Kerry Atkinson at Rockcliffe Hall, Co. Durham, where she met Will, who was running front of house.

They moved together to the Channel Islands, working with head chef Saun Rankin at Ormer Jersey, where, with Bex in the kitchen and Will as assistant restaurant manager, they gained a Michelin Star after just four months.

After then working at Yorebridge House in the Yorkshire Dales, they launched Robinsons in York in 2016.

They are now part of the Refectory Restaurant development team that also includes The Star Group of Restaurants, GEM Construction (York) Ltd. and Rachel McLane Ltd.

Chef Andrew Pern, at the Star Group of Restaurants, is one of the two main investment partners along with Mike Green of GEM Construction, and brings the expertise and resources of those restaurants including The Star at Harome and The Star Inn the City, York.

Bex said: "Although Andrew and I will be working very closely together, people can expect the Minster Refectory restaurant to be a quite different concept to the Star."

Plans for the restaurant remain subject to final planning permission in a deal that is subject to contract.

Minster School closed in the summer of 2020 when The Chapter York, which was responsible for the upkeep, running and operating of the Minster estate, decided it was financially unviable.