The Punch Bowl, Marton cum Grafton, has a new head chef

The Punch Bowl Inn at Marton-cum-Grafton has appointed Brian Furey as general manager and Ian Matfin as head chef.

Last year the inn was awarded Best Food Offer in the Publican Awards, seeing its seasonal menus and its operational excellence cement its place as one of the UK’s most sought-after dining experiences.

Read next:

• Efforts to deter York stag and hen dos are 'backfiring spectacularly'
• North Yorkshire resort hotel with £12 million price tag sold
• Haunted York restaurant set to reopen within weeks

Both new management positions bring expertise, knowledge, and creativity to this charming sixtheenth century inn, just a 20-minute drive from Harrogate, and within easy access of York.

The quaint pub will continue to focus on delivering excellence through its seasonal pub dishes and its engaging customer service. The new recruits will bring their years of experience to the table, ensuring a bright future for pub and customers.

On joining the team, Brian said: “This is an exciting opportunity to work within a team so committed to offering the best in hospitality.

"Our chefs work with nature, creating seasonal menus, sourcing from local and regional suppliers, this is a family that has a set of values to deliver exceptional customer experience, which is something I live by, too.

"Provenance believes in the true warmth of Yorkshire hospitality but in my case it will Yorkshire with a bit of Irish welcome thrown in too.”

General manager Brian Furey head chef Ian Matfin outside The Punch Bowl Inn at Marton-cum-Grafton (Image: Provenance)

Brian has worked in multi-award-winning sites, hosted successful regional events of scale, and has the stats to prove he knows how to grow a business. 

Ian’s back catalogue is something of a find; having clocked up years of experience at leading restaurants including Le Manoir aux Quat’Saison, Claridge’s, Michael Caines and more recently at North Yorkshire’s much-loved Devonshire Arms, Ian brings knowledge, skill and creative direction to the offer.

“I have worked in kitchens large and small and with all manner of teams and have seen success at its best. Having the skillset in the kitchen is one thing but having the drive and the values of this group is something I am relishing.

"The field to fork mentality, the access to our own kitchen garden at Mount St John, the incredible local artisans I get to work with make every day a new opportunity. Meeting the neighbours in this stunning village and understanding what it is the guest wants is going to keep my mind sharp and our offer at its best,” says Ian.

Once owned jointly by former Men Behaving Badly star Neil Morrisey and TV chef Richard Fox, who sold the pub in October 2009, it is now owned by Provenance Inns.

Provenance Collection has nine sites across North Yorkshire.

It employs over 150 people. It has won numerous regional and national awards and continues to grow its reach and its ambition to be the best.