Chapters Hotel and Restaurant, during September this year, has seen the return of one of their most popular couples. Victor and Victoria Vassallo originally worked at Chapters from March 2005 for four and -a-half years, before deciding to have a change and move to Harrogate.

The couple were originally persuaded to move from Malta by Steven Bell,the current owner of Chapters. After sampling the food and ambience of Victor’s Malta establishment, which had been voted one of the best restaurants in Malta by British Airways Flight magazine, Steven realised this Maltese restaurateur and his talented wife (who trained in Malta under two Michelin-star chefs) were the ideal team to revitalise Chapters.

It turned out to be an inspired choice because during the transformation Victor’s expertise and influence shone through. Why return? “We feel that Stokesley is our home, we have always liked the place since we first arrived,” said Victor. “We kept in touch with Chapters and Steven Bell and whenever we visited Stokesley we were constantly given a warm welcome by the people we knew, many asking us to return. Well, we have now.”

After dining in Harrogate, Steven met the couple and they all decided they would like to work together again. Said Steven: “We are really excited at the return of Victor and Victoria, as are our clients, who the couple always had a good affinity with.”

Victor, aged 50, becomes General Manager and Victoria, 46, Head Chef. They have been married for over 26 years and will be joining their daughter, Catya, who has worked at Chapters for over five years as the chef de partie along with her sous chef fiance, Ian – a real family affair.

“We are enjoying meeting many of our original clients, says Victoria, “but we also look forward to meeting and befriending many more new ones and introducing new and exciting menus.”

The final word goes to Victor: “We want the word out that they we are back – and with our return, returns the passion.”

For Albert Bichot, Wine is a singular product: a symbol of culture, pleasure and humanity. The producers’ most recent accolades include;

• 2004 winemaker of the year, a major award for the house graded by the International Wine Challenge
• 2008 top 100 wineries of the world, US Wine & Spirit Magazine

Our wine expert Karen Hardwick has managed to secure a small allocation of mature  Bichot wines which includes a rare selection of 5 vintages of Meursault 1^er Cru wines from a single vineyard. To celebrate the skill of the winemaker and our passion for fine wines we will host an evening dedicated to the wines of Albert Bichot on Friday 27^th May. Space is very limited for this event and unsurprisingly places sold out within a few days of being released.

The evening will begin with a glass of Crèmant de Bourgogne on arrival, an elegant traditional method  sparkling wine from Burgundy.  Before dinner a vertical tasting of Meursault  will allow guests to fully explore the difference between vintages, starting with the 2002, and working through the 2004, 2005, 2007 & 2008 vintages of Albert Bichot Meursault  1^er Cru.  Our guests will also be served Beaune 1^er Cru Clos des Mouches, a gem from Burgundy in the same league of a Grand Cru, alongside Saint-Romain La Perriere, a structured wine, oak aged for up to 16 months.

Our award winning chef, Sean Wilkinson, has devised a delicious, seasonal menu to perfectly complement the wines. As usual Karen Hardwick director of the Wine academy will be hosting the evening.

The team at Chapters Hotel are committed to providing their guests with exciting wine experiences throughout the year. We are constantly looking for ways to enhance your dining and drinking pleasure. We do hope that you will join us for dinner and a few well chosen glasses very soon.

Fortunately the rain held off and the sun managed to make an appearance. Below are our favorite pictures from the day;

Singer, songwriter Alistair Griffin will be performing a unique blend of acoustic songs this Saturday 5th February at Chapters Hotel & Restaurant. Alastair has recently began his new album campaign after the BBC featured his latest track “Just Drive” at the end of their coverage of the F1 Abu Dhabi  Grand Prix.

The track got national radio play when Chris Evans, a self-confessed F1 nut, played it on his breakfast show the following morning. It also impressed TV presenter Philip Schofield who,  learnt whose tune it was through Twitter.

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2010/11/16/alistair-griffin-s-new-song-motors-up-the-charts-84229-27664426/#ixzz1CvhWd5nT

Alistair who appeared on BBC’s Fame Academy has also performed a duet with one of the Bee Gees and has already released a successful hit album. This will be Alistair’s 4th sell out appearance at The Hotel where he will play a mixture of his new material, some old classics and maybe a request or two from the audience.

New content will be available from this Saturdays event, next week,  visit the whats on page of the site.
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The night began with the sounds of the bag pipes played by local piper Tony Nolan.

The evening was based around Robert Burns and his fondness for a glass (or two) of wine and also Whisky.
Although we will never know which he preferred, Karen Hardwick (Director of The Wine Academy®) was on hand to support Wine, whilst good friend and Whisky connoisseur Gary Riley represented Whisky.

Diners began their evening with a glass or prosecco in the bar whilst the bag pipes played on Stokesley High Street.
The three course dinner that followed had been cleverly created by Head Chef Sean Wilkinson to compliment Whisky and Wine.

Guests tasted; NV Prosecco, 2009 Rioja Crianza, 2005 Amalaya Malbec blend from Argentina, Skillogalee Liqueur Muscat NV, 10 year Macallan Fine Oak, 12 year old Bruichladdich Islay Malt, 12 year old Auchentoshan from the Lowlands & to finish Glayva.

For more images from the evening visit us on facebook www.facebook.com/ChaptersHotel

It’s great going out to eat, but a recent visit to Chapters Hotel and Restaurant in Stokesley proved to be something extra special.
Formerly a coaching inn, the hotel dates back some 250 years and its Gourmet Nights – which include an evening meal, overnight stay and breakfast – sounded the perfect way to unwind and relax.

Arriving in the reception area we were greeted by the manager and he instantly made us feel very welcome. First we headed to our room – and what a lovely touch, sparkling wine on ice with petit fours.
The room was spacious with a wonderful mixture of modern and traditional furniture creating a beautifully elegant environment. Then it was time for food.

We’d booked into the brasserie but were also given the option of the themed Moroccan night in the restaurant. Sticking with our original choice, we took a look at the menu’s mouthwatering selection of dishes.
My husband decided on carpaccio of local beef, horseradish cream and beetroot crisps to start; I opted for duck liver parfait which came with mango, pickled ginger chutney and toasted brioche.
The presentation of both dishes was superb and few words were spoken as we devoured our first course. On to the mains and we both chose the fillet of local beef with wild mushroom diane sauce. Everyone must try this sauce – it was delicious. I only wish they would sell it as I would gladly have taken some home. This was served with twice cooked hand cut chips and dressed house salad.

Dessert was a true paradise for chocolate lovers. Choices included nemesis of chocolate, a crème brulee, chocolate soufflé, chocolate mousse with wild berries and chocolate ice cream – all beautifully presented in individual dishes. My husband decided to try the selection of local and continental cheeses with home-made chutney and jam. All in all a fantastic meal – inspirational combinations of ingredients and delicious flavours.

After a wonderfully relaxing night’s stay in our hotel room, it was time for breakfast. Again, there was plenty of choice from a light meal to a full cooked plateful. It’s not often you’d think of booking a night in a hotel when it’s so close to home, but I’m converted. It’s a great way to really unwind and relax and enjoy some fantastic food. It’s perfect for a special occasion or if you just fancy some extra TLC, but there’s still plenty to enjoy at Chapters even if you can’t stay the night.

Our meal was included in the Gourmet Night price, but starters begin at £4.95 and include delicious treats such as Yorkshire Blue cheese twice bake souffle and steamed Shetland mussels – both at £5.95.
Main courses include pan roasted rump of local lamb at £15.95 and saddle of venison with sauteed king prawns at £18.50. I’m not sure if it’ll be just a meal or a relaxing overnight break, but I’ll definitely be making a return visit to Chapters soon.

Read the full review here