Marco Pierre White declares his love for Leeds at launch of new festival in Yorkshire

He grew up in the city but is a rare visitor these days but he says he remains fond of the architecture and the people.

He was “back home” as part of its summer Staycation Festival where he was the first of a series of renowned chefs to visit over the summer.

Over the next three months, the roll call of culinary greats continues with celebrated food writers, broadcasters and cooks Nigel Slater, Angela Clutton and Bee Wilson, with more to be announced.

“It is great to be back and just walk around the city and look at the buildings of my childhood,” he said.

Now 62, he lives in Wiltshire but remains a “Leeds lad”.

The event was held in Kino, Opera North’s restaurant and bar on New Briggate in Leeds. Kino offers classic British and French cooking with deliciously decadent flair. Pastry is both a speciality and an obsession of the Kino kitchen, with a monthly sell-out ‘Pastry Club’ tasting menu showcasing the team’s creativity.

Kino presents a series of ‘in conversation and dinner’ events with leading chefs and food writers, who will discuss their culinary inspirat ions while presenting a three-course menu co-created with the chefs at Kino.

Dubbed the godfather of modern cooking, the first rock-star chef and original “enfant terrible”, White is a renowned chef, restaurateur and TV personality.

He has led the UK restaurant scene for over 40 years and is credited with changing the face of modern British cooking. Born in Leeds, he trained as a chef in Harrogate and Ilkley before moving to London. He was the first British chef to be awarded three Michelin stars, before deciding to open a string of acclaimed restaurants.

He was in conversation with fellow chef and restaurateur Jason Shaw.

While he chatted about his stellar career, the audience was served a bespoke menu devised for the occasion by White, who has been working in the kitchen alongside Kino Head Chef Josh Whitehead to prepare for the events.

Over the next three months, the roll call of culinary greats continues with celebrated food writers, broadcasters and cooks Nigel Slater, Angela Clutton and Bee Wilson, with more to be announced.

The Staycation Festival is a summer of food, film and music. In addition to the Chef Experiences, film screenings will be held in the Howard Assembly Room over a long weekend in July. Alongside each showing, Kino will present a special three-course menu inspired by the film’s location, from the Greek islands to the Grand Canyon.

The first location is Italy on Wednesday July 3 with a showing of Roman Holiday preceded by a set of Neapolitan songs performed by members of the Chorus of Opera North.

For details visit: https://www.kinoleeds.co.uk/experiences/.