What an honour it was for me to be celebrating 30 years of The Star at Harome .
It is 1996, and a young couple sit in a solicitor’s office, chequebook in hand, ready to hand over a handsome sum as a down payment on their new venture: a closed, run-down, thatched pub. I was told by one of the couple that this was not only a pivotal moment in their lives but also a terrifying one, as the reality of what they were about to do sank in.
That couple was Andrew and Jacquie Pern, names now familiar to many of us, but back then they were unknowns buying The Star at Harome.
I first met the Perns in 1998, around the time I opened my café-restaurant in Helmsley. By then they were already making a name for themselves, attracting attention far beyond Yorkshire, receiving awards and putting Harome firmly on the map. Yet despite all they had on, I remember them being exceptionally kind to me, offering help and advice and sharing tales of the struggles they had faced when starting out. Their kindness is something I have never forgotten.
On June 20 this year, The Star at Harome is 30, with Andrew at the helm throughout. If ever an anniversary deserved recognition, this is surely one. What has been achieved in that time is phenomenal. Not only has Andrew become an industry icon, but The Star is now known nationwide and beyond.
Naturally, getting The Star to where it is now has taken a huge amount of hard work. There were difficult periods too: a Norovirus outbreak and a painful divorce. There was the delight of a Michelin star in 2002—only the second pub in the world to do so—the disappointment of losing it in 2011, and three years of dedication to regain it. Then, to cap it all, came the devastating arson attack in 2021, which closed the pub for more than a year.
As I look at The Star now, what defines it for me is that, although it is universally known as a Michelin-starred restaurant, it is, foremost, a pub. On most nights, the bar is packed with locals, farmers, walkers and the like. You can come in your wellies or your Louboutins; enjoy the bar menu, dine à la carte or perhaps linger over the ten-course seasonal tasting menu. Or, simply have a jolly good time over a pint, a glass of chilled wine, or Champagne. It is this that I love about The Star: its offering extends far beyond the restaurant. It is open to everyone, and that is what makes it unique.
On this occasion, we were there for the ten-course tasting menu and, sadly, had to pass on the wine flight. We were delighted when the hugely talented executive chef Stephen Smith introduced it to us. Stephen has worked alongside Andrew for 18 years, mainly as head chef, and since the reopening following the fire has taken on a more prominent role in shaping not only the food but also the direction of the pub itself. The Early Spring Tasting Menu (£150pp) is a profusion of ingredients, and I knew we were in for a treat. There is far too much to detail every dish here, but I hasten to say there was barely anything we didn’t like or that didn’t work.
To read my whole review, go to The Yorkshire Post. If you enjoyed my Celebrating 30 Years of The Star Inn at Harome post, find more reviews and features here.
