There is so much to enjoy at The Mount Hotel, Scarborough as guests at the Yorkshire Life lunch discover. Photographs by Graham Lindley
It was a young, fresh faced head chef who came out to receive enthusiastic congratulations from guests at a Yorkshire life lunch, one of very few we’ve managed to have at the coast just lately. Shaun Hull, at only 26, is head of the kitchen at The Mount Hotel, Scarborough. And he is not ashamed to say he is ‘old school’. By that he means he is loyal to not only his employers but also his local food suppliers. He rarely misses a chance to mention them and ensure they have the credit they deserve in helping him and his team prepare the well presented, generous and delicious dishes that bring diners back time and again.
‘Yes I am traditional,’ says Shaun who began working in the kitchen at The Mount when he was just 12 years old. ‘I believe in loyalty to the people I work with and good quality food. I maybe old fashioned but I am always ready to learn and introduce something new to the menu. Yes, there are edible flowers on the menu today,’ he added with a smile, to prove his point. He and his team are particularly proud of their breakfast menu with offerings such as grilled Whitby kippers and cold home cooked Yorkshire ham and diners are invited to build their own full English breakfast.
He and his kitchen team should also be proud of the lunch they prepared for us that day with enormously generous servings beautifully presented. The beef was cooked to perfection and dessert was deliciously rich and satisfying. Service was faultless lead by restaurant manager Linda Rhodes. Many guests had travelled far but seemed in no rush to get back on their way which is often a true measure of a successful event.
Old fashioned values are important to hotel owners Stewart Lothian and his mother Helen as they continue to meet the many different needs of their guests today. ‘We believe in old fashioned values of honesty and being straightforward with people. We don’t pretend to be anything we are not. We are not a boutique hotel. We are a comfortable family hotel with a warm welcome and we are very dog friendly too. We are keen to keep our look. The changes we make are very subtle.
‘But that doesn’t mean we are not thoroughly modern behind the scenes to ensure the hotel runs smoothly. We were the first to have Wi-Fi throughout, not just in certain areas as some hotels have, for example. Our plan is to build on what we do and do it the best.’ w
The Mount Hotel, Cliff Bridge Terrace, Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO11 2HA 01723 360961 www.mounthoteluk.co.uk
Shaun’s special mentions
Thanks go to the suppliers who helped make our Yorkshire Life lunch such a success. Our apologies to any we may have missed
County Fresh Foods, Sheffield
Stephen Hill Farm, Scarborough
Dennis Crookes, Whitby
Miller Food Service, York
Little Shop of Flowers, Scarborough
From the menu
To start
Natural smoked duck breast
Freshly smoked, flavoured with apple, a shallot and sesame seed dressing topped with watercress, bean and pea shoots
Whitby white crab
With diced avocado, sliced rainbow radish, drizzled with dill vinaigrette
Refreshing Pure Yorvale apple sorbet
To continue
Roast sirloin of English beef
A succulent slow roasted cut of aged beef, rich pan gravy and fresh herb Yorkshire pudding
Fresh fillet of gilt head bream
Presented on a quenelle of creamed parsley and chive risotto with micro sea fennel herb sauce
Jersey Royal potatoes and duck fat roast potatoes, Chantenay carrots and broccoli florets
To finish
Belgium rich chocolate and hazelnut torte
Enclosed in a sweet pastry and dressed with a feather puree of fruit coulis
Wine notes
Da Luca Pinot Grigio (Italy)
Dry and elegant with flavours of crisp apple, citrus zest and toasted almonds with a lingering finish.
Waipara Hills Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)
Fresh citrus, grapefruit, and a touch of pineapple on the first sip. Lovely weight and a clean finish.
Waipara Pinot Noir (New Zealand)
The nose displays spicy, rich cocoa, juicy red berries and earthy aromas. Rich in colour; dense and ripe fruits fill the mouth; alongside earthy savoury flavours from the oak.
Cullinan View Chenin Blanc Rose (South Africa)
Vibrant rose wine, crisp, zingy with summer berry fruit flavours. Rosé Wine made in an off-dry style, lovely crisp zing with summer berry fruit flavours.
Wines provided by Matthew Clark and Accolade Wines
