Member Article

Double triumph for award-winning Westwood

The award-winning Westwood Restaurant in Beverley in East Yorkshire is celebrating a double helping of good news this week.

The popular restaurant has been shortlisted in the prestigious White Rose Awards, run by Welcome to Yorkshire, and has also been named as one of the 2016 Top 100 Fit for Foodies restaurants in the UK by Open Table diners.

Owners Matt and Michele Barker, who enjoyed their most successful year ever in 2015, are thrilled by these successes.

“2015 was an amazing year, the best since we opened in 2007. But 2016 is shaping up to be even better. We were absolutely delighted when we heard we had been shortlisted in the very competitive Best Restaurant in Yorkshire category in the White Rose Awards this week.

“And then came the Open Table news, which was wonderful too, especially because that is voted for by our customers. We are honoured and humbled – and determined to maintain the standards that have led to these accolades,” explained Matt, who is the head chef, as well as co-owner.

“We believe strongly that this is a triumph for Beverley and the East Riding, too. Our local customers have supported us from the very start and this has helped us enormously. We are especially pleased to raise the culinary profile of our town both regionally and nationally.

“We have recently received a number of exceptional reviews, in national and regional papers and magazines, as well as on-line and social media. The reaction to what we are trying to achieve here – high-quality food in classy but relaxed surroundings – has been amazing. “We had already been named in Open Table’s 100 Best Restaurants in the UK, before the Fit For Foodies recognition, so we couldn’t be more proud. We were one of only two restaurants in the whole of Yorkshire to make Open Table’s top 100, which again is voted for by diners themselves,” said Matt. The Fit For Foodies awards are based on more than 300,000 reviews submitted by verified Open Table diners at more than 4,900 restaurants across the UK. This list reflects their pick of favourite restaurants in the Fit for Foodies category.

Meanwhile more than 100 businesses have made the shortlist in the prestigious White Rose Awards, which celebrate the very best of tourism in Yorkshire. The awards are the UK’s largest celebration of tourism and cover 17 categories, from the best Yorkshire pub to outstanding customer service.

Colin Mellors, chair of the White Rose Award judges, said: “Yorkshire’s tourism is a remarkable sector with fantastic hospitality, facilities and produce on offer. Those shortlisted should feel very proud to have been selected against such strong competition. Choosing the eventual winners this year will be a really tough task.”

Last year’s event made history when more than 1,000 people watched as Take That superstar, Gary Barlow, and co-writer of The Girls musical, Tim Firth, were made honorary Yorkshiremen at the first direct arena Leeds.

Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “Once again the entries for this year’s White Rose Awards have been exceptional across all categories, so a huge congratulations to those who have made the shortlist.

Co-owner Michele Barker commented: “Obviously we are thrilled with the lovely reviews and accolades we are receiving, but we are certainly not going to be complacent and rest on our laurels. As we approach our 10th anniversary, we are determined to make the Westwood even better than ever. “Since we opened, we have focused on offering high quality, locally sourced ingredients, showcasing the best of what the region has to offer. For Matt cooking is about getting the best out of the ingredients, delivering beautiful plates packed with great flavour. “The Westwood believe in making the most of the seasons so the menu is constantly changing to bring you the best of locally sourced produce – beef sourced from North Yorkshire and seafood caught off Yorkshire’s East coast feature heavily. “All this will continue, and we will constantly strive to maintain the highest of standards. At the same time, we have embarked on a higher-profile marketing campaign, featuring a brand-new website, to ensure that the Westwood is not only known and loved in the East Riding of Yorkshire, but elsewhere in Yorkshire and the North of England,” explained Michele.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Robert Beaumont .