THE former head chef at the awarding-winning Star Inn, at Harome, near Helmsley, is to open his own restaurant near Beverley.

James Mackenzie and his partner, Kate Boroughs, will open the doors of The Pipe and Glass, at South Dalton, on Thursday.

The couple recently left the Harome pub and restaurant and have since been refurbishing the 18th Century inn.

Mr Mackenzie 30, trained at Yorkshire Coast College, in Scarborough, and became head chef at the town's Stephen Joseph Theatre.

He cooked for the Duchess of Cornwall when she visited the area recently and he is also a cookery writer.

Last year, he was invited by the British Embassy in Paris to promote Yorkshire produce.