Tessa is a Fellow of the Institute of Master Chefs of Great Britain. Her innovative modern style, which mixes British and Mediterranean influences with those from further afield, has earned her recognition from all the major food guides.

Shortly after Tessa opened The Old Vicarage in 1987, the restaurant was voted “Newcomer of the year” in the 1988 Good Food Guide. Numerous awards have followed: “County Restaurant of the Year” in 1989; “Northern Restaurant of the Year” in 1991 and, in 1995, The Old Vicarage was awarded two stars from the Egon Ronay Organisation – one of an elite handful of restaurants in the UK to achieve this status.

Also awarded the coveted Michelin Star, Tessa is pictured here with the other Michelin-Starred chefs at a special Millennium celebration at Greenwich.

This international recognition has launched a secondary career as a TV chef and successful author.

Tessa Bramley’s cooking is grounded in nature and evocative of the seasons. She is a country cook whose work revolves around her garden.
When Tessa took over The Old Vicarage, the surrounding grounds were a confusion of ornamental borders and beds.

The garden was painstakingly restored and is now a true country garden with gently rolling lawns and secluded glades blending with the surrounding countryside of the Moss Valley conservation area.

Like all country gardens, it not only delights the eye, but also adds to the larder.  All of the fresh produce used in Tessa's kitchens at The Old Vicarage is grown in the Vicarage Kitchen Gardens or comes from the nearby farms.

Tessa writes a regular food column for the Yorkshire Post and is a frequent contributor to national magazines and periodicals. Her first book, “The Instinctive Cook”, was published in 1995, followed by “A Taste of Tradition” in 1997 and “Traditional Puddings” in 1998.

Her current titles (pictured right) are published by Ryland, Peters and Small and have been translated for publication in 5 countries.

"Happy Cooking"