Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall
In early December, ‘Scottish’ and I excitedly arrived at Grantley Hall, kindly invited by my parents, for us to spend time together celebrating the festive season and creating special memories.
This spectacular hotel with its 3 bars and 5 restaurants is seriously luxurious and set within a large country house and extensive grounds in North Yorkshire, England, about 5 miles west of Ripon.
We have stayed at Grantley Hall before and when dining Fletchers Restaurant is one of our favourites. However, as this was a longer stay we were thrilled to have the opportunity to include a meal at the Shaun Rankin restaurant, which was awarded a Michelin Star in January 2020 and four AA rosettes in September 2023.
The evening kicked off appropriately with champagne served in the elegant drawing room with its duck egg blue walls and fine plasterwork which subtly set the tone for an evening of fine dining.
No deliberations were required over what to eat given the simple 10 course tasting menu, designed to showcase locally grown and sourced ingredients taking advantage of the herbs and vegetables grown in the Kitchen Garden. Chef Rankin has sought to use the best raw ingredients available from local suppliers and nearby farms with speciality cheeses from the county and fresh seafood from the nearby Yorkshire coast:
Snacks
Bread, Butter, Dripping, Beef Tea
Truffle Cruffin, Yorkshire Pecorino
BBQ Scallop, Sea Buckthorn
Cod, Pike Roe, Cabbage, Dill, Lemon Verbena
Venison, Blackcurrant, Celeriac, Hen of the Woods
Pumpkin, Magnum
Apple, Caramel, Meadowsweet
Stonebeck and Doddington Cheese
Sweets
Being Coeliac, I was immediately encouraged by the menu which was nearly entirely Gluten Free, with the only replacement being the Truffle Cruffin and Yorkshire Pecorino for an Artichoke Truffle. After being presented by a number of delicate and intricately created snacks adorned with edible flowers, the culinary journey got off to a strong start with the inviting, warming and innovative Beef Tea and Dripping, the flavours evoking powerful memories of home cooked meals of a Yorkshire childhood. Although I could not partake, the others around the table were in high praise of the Truffle Cruffin as a delicious, light, melt in the mouth experience. Other highlights included the Venison and Blackcurrant. Scottish, being a mushroom fan particularly enjoyed the Hen of the Woods which expertly complimented the wild forest theme of this course. For me, I still think of the incredible tasting Apple Caramel Meadowsweet and the clever Pumpkin Magnum, which was modelled on a lollipop stick, just like a magnum chocolate ice cream.
In summary, this was a delicious meal of quality ingredients and a creative demonstration of technical expertise in a surprisingly relaxed atmosphere, notwithstanding its setting within the grand surroundings of a stately country house dining room.
Particular praise goes to the staff of Grantley Hall who go the extra mile to assist my father who has accessibility limitations. They always strike the perfect balance of professional friendliness, putting guests at their ease and ensuring we leave with positive memories and anticipations of another visit.
Thank you Mum and Dad, we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our stay with you at Grantley Hall and can’t wait for us all to book in again in 2024!
