Michelin Green Star Chefs: Tommy Banks, Chef/Owner, The Black Swan at Oldstead
Tommy Banks is chef/owner at the one Michelin starred, The Black Swan at Oldstead in York.
The Black Swan at Oldstead is a restaurant with rooms created by The Banks family who have lived and farmed around Oldstead for centuries.
The tasting menu format and is driven by produce from their farm, garden and local hedgerows. They use an array of preservation techniques to ensure these ingredients last, which results in dishes with bold contrasts, plenty of depth and very little wastage.
On the Michelin Green Star, Tommy said: "Sustainability is at the core of our ethos. We source most of our produce from my parents’ farm, which
uses sustainable farming practices (30 acres is dedicated to the restaurant), and the rest of our produce is sourced from like-minded suppliers. We hope our restaurant can make a positive difference."
Other Accolades
The Black Swan, which also has four rosettes from the AA Restaurant Guide, won a Michelin star in 2012 under a different head chef - something Tommy was keen to retain. The following year the chef became the youngest chef in Britain to hold a star when the restaurant retained the accolade.
In October 2017, the Michelin starred restaurant was voted the world’s best rated restaurant by TripAdvisor.
Roots was awarded a star in the Michelin guide for Great Britain and Ireland in 2021.
Other Michelin Star Chefs
For 17 years, The Staff Canteen has been the meeting place for chefs and hospitality professionals—your stories, your skills, your space.
Every recipe, every video, every news update exists because this community makes it possible.
We’ll never hide content behind a paywall, but we need your help to keep it free.
If The Staff Canteen has inspired you, informed you, or simply made you smile, chip in £3—less than a coffee—to keep this space thriving.
Together, we keep the industry connected. Together, we move forward.
Support Us
CONTRIBUTE
Michelin Green Star Chefs: Tommy Banks, Chef/Owner, The Black Swan at Oldstead
