
North Wales luxury hotel announces partnership with top UK chef
The partnership between Palé Hall Hotel, at Llandderfel, near Bala and Luke Selby, renowned executive chef at the double Michelin starred La Manoir aux Quat'Saisons at Great Milton, Oxford will be launched before the end of the year.
A Chef's Table experience and a series of exclusive dining events, highlighting Luke's culinary mastery, will feature prominently in the partnership. The vital link between local food producers, Welsh culinary heritage and the dishes will also be key ingredient.
Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
Anthony and Donna Cooper-Barney, owners of Palé Hall, said: 'This partnership between Palé Hall Hotel and Luke Selby is an exciting venture that embodies our dedication to culinary excellence and outstanding hospitality.
'Together, we are committed to creating extraordinary dining experiences that resonate with our guests long after their visit. This collaboration promises to be a celebration of flavours, stories and the joy of sharing exceptional food in the enchanting setting of Palé Hall.
'In the dynamic landscape of fine dining, collaborations between exceptional culinary talents have the power to create extraordinary experiences. This collaboration is set to elevate our dining offerings, showcasing a shared commitment to excellence, sustainability and the celebration of seasonal flavours.
'Palé Hall Hotel is more than just a place for guests to stay; it is a sanctuary where culinary art and hospitality intertwine to create unforgettable memories. With its stunning architecture and picturesque surroundings, the hotel serves as an ideal setting for culinary exploration.
'Our mission has always been to provide an immersive experience that delights the senses. Partnering with Luke Selby promises to enhance that vision significantly.'
Celebrated for his innovative approach to British cuisine, Luke has made a name for himself at La Manoir aux Quat'Saisons with chef patron Raymond Blanc OBE. His focus on sourcing local and seasonal ingredients aligns perfectly with the ethos of Palé Hall.
'Together, we aim to craft a series of exclusive dining events that highlight Luke's culinary artistry, allowing guests to indulge in a specially curated menu designed to showcase the best of both our establishments,' added Mr and Mrs Cooper-Barney.
'One of the cornerstones of this collaboration will be the introduction of a chef's table experience. This unique setting will allow guests to dine intimately, enjoying a multi-course menu crafted by Luke while witnessing the culinary magic unfold right before their eyes.'
The chef's table will not only offer a closer look at the artistry involved in each dish but also create an interactive experience, they say, where diners can engage with Luke, learn about his inspirations and gain insights into the techniques that define his cooking style.
Surrounded by the "elegant ambiance of Palé Hall", guests will savour dishes that tell a story of place and time, all while indulging in the freshest ingredients sourced from local farms, renowned for the quality of Welsh produce.
'Each course will be a testament to Luke's signature style - meticulously prepared and beautifully presented, promising to tantalise the tastebuds and ignite the senses,' said Mr and Mrs Cooper-Barney.
'This collaboration will extend beyond the plate. We envision events that celebrate the rich culinary heritage of our region, where guests can connect with local producers and learn about the origins of the ingredients featured in their meals.
'By highlighting the connection between the land and the table, we aim to deepen the appreciation for the culinary arts while fostering a sense of community among our guests.'
Palé Hall is an award-winning Relais & Châteaux country house hotel and restaurant nestling on the edge of the stunning Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park.
Regarded as one of the UK's greenest hotels, Palé Hall has held a Green Michelin Star since 2021 for its commitment to sustainable practices, which include having its own clean, completely carbon-neutral source of electricity. It was one of the UK's first hotels to receive a Michelin Key Award, denoting a special place to stay, last year.
The hotel has 18 individually styled bedrooms and a three AA Rosette fine dining restaurant, where guests can dine in a most grand setting overlooking the hotel's 50-acre estate. Two of the bedrooms have suites named after past guests Queen Victoria and Winston Churchill.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Scottish Sun
33 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Huge outdoor chain with over 300 locations to shut shopping centre branch in DAYS
It comes as the sportswear chain shut at least 12 of its stores in 2024 CLIMB DOWN Huge outdoor chain with over 300 locations to shut shopping centre branch in DAYS Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A major outdoor retailer with over 300 branches is set to close one of its stores. The Trespass branch in Watford will shut its doors on October 31 - with an 'everything must go' sale now underway. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Trespass is shutting its store in Watford Credit: Getty Images The outdoor clothing and equipment shop is located on the upper mall level of Harlequin Watford shopping centre. According to the Watford Observer, Trespass may relocate elsewhere in town, though this has not been confirmed. For now, the store remains open during its usual hours - Monday to Saturday from 9am to 6pm and Sundays from 11am to 6pm. Nearby branches can be found in Harrow, Hemel Hempstead and Hatfield. Another business is expected to take over the unit once the Trespass store shuts. The chain sells sportswear and outdoor gear, including skiwear, waterproof jackets, fleeces, festival accessories, walking boots and camping equipment. This closure comes as part of a broader trend for the retailer. In July 2023, Trespass confirmed it would shut six outlets. The stores were located in Derby, Harrogate, Canterbury, Solihul, Workington and Chesterfield. In 2024, the chain announced plans to shut 12 more stores, including sites in Coventry, Norwich, and Middlesbrough. Iconic Glasgow Cineworld that's world's tallest cinema building set to close as staff face axe The Middlesbrough store - which had opened only two years earlier - closed in early 2025. However, the Norwich branch later reopened at a new location in Castle Quarter. In May 2025, Trespass pulled down the shutters on its Aylesbury store in Buckinghamshire. Meanwhile, popular homeware chain Lakeland is also preparing to shut one of its high street stores. The Lakeland store on Broad Street in Reading will shut on August 8, the store confirmed to The Sun. Signs in the window announce the closure and an 'everything must go' sale. Based in Windermere in the Lake District, Lakeland operates 58 stores across the UK and employs around 1,000 staff. The retailer is known for selling a range of homeware and kitchen products, including spatulas, food containers and baking suppliers. Why are retailers closing shops? EMPTY shops have become an eyesore on many British high streets and are often symbolic of a town centre's decline. In many cases, retailers are shutting stores because they are no longer the money-makers they once were because of the rise of online shopping. Falling store sales and rising staff costs have made it even more expensive for shops to stay open. The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs from April 2025, will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40. In some cases, retailers are shutting a store and reopening a new shop at the other end of a high street to reflect how a town has changed. The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing. Retail parks are increasingly popular with shoppers, who want to be able to get easy, free parking at a time when local councils have hiked parking charges in towns. Many retailers including Next and Marks & Spencer have been shutting stores on the high street and taking bigger stores in better-performing retail parks instead. In some cases, stores have been shut when a retailer goes bust, as in the case of Carpetright, Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, Paperchase, Ted Baker, The Body Shop, Topshop and Wilko to name a few. What's increasingly common is when a chain goes bust a rival retailer or private equity firm snaps up the intellectual property rights so they can own the brand and sell it online. They may go on to open a handful of stores if there is customer demand, but there are rarely ever as many stores or in the same places. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.


Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
The perfect holiday in Northern Ireland, the UK's most underrated natural beauty
For a long time, Northern Ireland was written off by its history, which dwarfed anything that made this country shine. But to visit Northern Ireland and focus only on the Troubles would be a disservice, as well as a crying shame. This is a place of exceptional natural beauty, where the striking coastline reveals historic cliff paths and jagged caves, and a region of calm lakes is dotted with tiny islands. It's also home to a vibrant dining scene, with beachside seafood shacks and Michelin-starred restaurants, and one of the oldest food markets in the world. And of course, the Northern Irish aren't shy of a spot of nightlife. In Belfast and all over the country, there are quintessential pubs where there's always some craic to be found, along with traditional music and a bar stocked with locally distilled whiskeys and craft gins. So forget everything you thought you knew about Northern Ireland, and open yourself up to what's happening right now. For further inspiration, explore our guides to Northern Ireland's best hotels, things to do, restaurants, nightlife and beaches. In this guide: How to spend the perfect day in Northern Ireland Morning Kick off your trip by renting a car in Belfast and setting off to explore the Causeway Coast, a 120-mile route that snakes from the capital along the shoreline over to Derry-Londonderry. While you could technically tick off the entire route in one (long) day, there are dozens of reasons to take it at a slower pace. Your first pit stop is barely 30 minutes out of the city, at the Victorian cliffside walk, The Gobbins. On this guided experience (which can close due to rockfalls; check the website for more information), you'll pass through dark caves and over arched metal bridges that cling to the edge of the cliffs as the waves crash below. Afterwards, drive up to Ballycastle and have an early lunch in the Ursa Minor Bakehouse, the bakery where top Northern Ireland restaurants source their sourdough – try it topped with eggs and a drizzle of chilli oil.


Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
The 21 best restaurants in Northern Ireland
If you're into your food, you'll be spoilt rotten in Northern Ireland. There are several standout food producers in this small land, from artisanal butchers and butter makers to those fishing for local crab, lobster and mussels. All of which means the restaurants here have some of the best produce to choose from. In Belfast, you'll find Michelin-starred restaurants with an edge, as well as cosy, neighbourhood bistros slinging out excellent plates. And outside of the city, there are top-notch restaurants specialising in seafood or hearty pub grub. Here are some of the best places to eat when you're visiting Northern Ireland. All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best things to do in Northern Ireland. Find out more below, or for further inspiration, explore our guides to Northern Ireland's best hotels, things to do, nightlife and beaches. Find restaurants by type: Best all-rounders Mourne Seafood Bar The seafood all around the island of Ireland is cracking, and this is the perfect place to sample it. Start with the oysters, from down the coast in Carlingford, either with a kicky Japanese dressing or served with a spicy Bloody Mary shot, then order whatever's freshest, from crab on toast to Dundrum mussels. Their traditional seafood chowder is particularly good, too. Harry's Shack A must-visit for any seafood fans, Harry's Shack has cult status in Northern Ireland – and with good reason. Set on the sands of Portstewart beach, this casual restaurant serves up the best local fare, from local mussels cooked in Irish cider, to whole black sole on the bone. On summer days, you can have drinks outside on the terrace, and if you time a visit to align with sunset then you're onto a winner. Noble With lights hanging from the ceiling and specials scrawled on a blackboard wall, Noble looks every part the hip, neighbourhood bistro. And the food has people coming from far and wide – think beef tartare with a punchy bloody dressing and beef dripping toast, or suckling pig with kohlrabi and pear. You can get more casual fare in the bar downstairs, like dressed crab or arancini, and the wine list is top notch. Roam It started life as a pop-up, but now Roam has a permanent setup right in the city centre of Belfast. There's a casual feel to the space, with tobacco leather banquettes and an open pass, but the food leans more towards fine dining. The menu is concise and to the point, focusing on classic components like Mourne lamb, jazzed up with quirkier notes like smoked yoghurt. They do a great set lunch menu, too. J.J. Farrall's There's an old world sense of opulence to this dining room, with burgundy leather seats, brushed gold railings and fern plants dripping from the ceiling. The menu has a classic feel, with dishes like fluffy cheese souffles with wilted leeks, or a whole lemon sole with caper butter, but on the plate things are kept contemporary and elegant. Return to index Best for families The Bushmills Inn A restaurant that shares its name with a whiskey may not scream family-friendly, but The Bushmills Inn is great for kids, particularly in the summer when you can eat outside. Otherwise, the dark and cosy interior complements the hearty comfort food, like Sunday roasts with stuffing, crackling and Yorkshire puddings, or a sugar pit pork chop with bone marrow jus. They have a decent kids' menu, as well as ice cream sundaes for those of all ages. Fodder in the Woods What kid wouldn't want to eat lunch in a giant teepee? On this farm near Strangford Lough, their all-weather tent has a roaring fire in the middle to keep things toasty, and an excellent offering of dishes, the best of which feature their own Finnebrogue Woods Dexter Beef, like their thick burgers or toasties with kimchi. The kids have a well-priced menu, as do the neighbourhood dogs. Maegden Formerly a tiny caravan slinging out cheese toasties by the Giant's Causeway, Maegden is now a cheese shop and deli in Bushmills. Those toasties are still on the menu though, and they're well worth the hype, made with local sourdough, oozey farmhouse cheeses like Irish Scamorza, Young Buck or Gubbeen, and lashings of salty melted butter. Kids love their signature hot chocolate, topped with a scorched heap of homemade marshmallows. The Parson's Nose Exactly the kind of place you'd want to find yourself on a miserable day, this cosy gastropub always has a fire lit, whether it's in the dining room or the pizza oven. The menu is huge, with classic pub grub like pork belly and roast lamb alongside quirkier options like venison ragu with gin-soaked raisins or duck with pineapple salsa. There's a kids' menu, and they'll also make smaller pizzas for little ones. Return to index Best for cheap eats Flout! A favourite among Irish chefs, Flout! isn't in the handiest location but always has a line outside, with locals looking for their fix of thick, Detroit-style pizza with vodka sausage or thin, charred New York slices. You can order whole pies or eat your slice outside, balanced on a whiskey barrel. They do excellent slabs of focaccia, which they make up into a daily sandwich offering. Area: East Belfast Website: Price: £ Reservations: Not needed Coppi Right by the MAC, this sleek restaurant is great if you just want a quick nibble, rather than a full meal. Grab a seat at their cicchetti bar and you can pick from bites like feta fritters with truffle honey or anchovy bruschetta, along with Italian wines available by the glass or carafe. The pastas available in the main restaurant are well priced, too. Ursa Minor Bakehouse You'll find their sourdough on the menus of top restaurants all over Northern Ireland, but this is the main hub of their bakery operations. In addition to the counter, selling loaves, pastries and buns, you can get a coffee and a treat to eat on site – try the blood orange Danish or custard bakewells. It's a great place to stock up before a trip up the Causeway Coast. mrDeanes Following the closure of his Michelin-starred Deanes Eipic, Michael Deane opened this more casual restaurant in its place. It has a bistro feel, and the menu is less formal and at a decent price point, with bites like fried whitebait, arancini and crab mayonnaise on toast. There's a good plat du jour, and seats at the bar for solo diners. Return to index Best for fine dining The Muddlers Club This Michelin-starred restaurant still has a bit of a punky edge, thanks to the graffiti walls, open kitchen and the dishes (and cocktails) that arrive at the table in a cloud of smoke. The eight-course tasting menu is heavy on seasonal ingredients, like morels, wild garlic and rhubarb, and there's a full vegetarian menu available as well. The wine pairings are solid, but those aforementioned cocktails are excellent, like their smoked Old Fashioned. OX A light-filled restaurant down by the River Lagan, OX is a slick, elegant space with a Michelin star and a menu of delicate dishes packed with rich flavours, like halibut with lardo and bonito butter, or smoked veal with black garlic. Their three-course lunch menu offers great value. If you can't snag a reservation then OX Cave next door is a great consolation prize, with wines by the glass, charcuterie and cheese plates. Wine and Brine You might not expect to find a restaurant of this calibre in such a small village, but this spot lures people out from Belfast and all over Northern Ireland. The set lunch/early evening menu is incredibly good value, but there's far more variety on the expansive à la carte, with items like beef cheek beignets, brown crab on warm crumpets and fish crudo. James St With exposed brick walls, splashy artwork and simple tables, this bistro has a vaguely New York steakhouse feel. The focus is all on the food, which centres around well-sourced Northern Irish beef; the best being the sharing tomahawks or the pichana cut you'll find on the set menu. There are other dishes available, but really, this is the place to go when only a steak will do. Frae Though the space is fairly unassuming, the food they're knocking out of the kitchen here is exemplary. There's no tasting menu, but you can order a heap of nibbles and sharing plates, like gildas with punchy Young Buck blue cheese and bread with marmite butter, before tucking into larger plates like their star dish, the crispy chicken marbella with capers and olives. There's also an excellent cocktail menu. Return to index Best for walk-ins Walled City Brewery This microbrewery is set in a former barracks and blends historic features like exposed beams and industrial breezeblocks with quirky art and chandeliers made from bottles. Unsurprisingly, there's an extensive menu of their own craft beer (get a flight to taste a few options), but the food is top-quality pub grub, with chargrilled burgers, pork belly and Sunday roasts served in giant Yorkshire puddings. Established With filament light bulbs, communal tables and brushed concrete floors, you could easily dismiss this as a hipster hangout. But while they take their coffee very seriously, it's not just a place for a flat white – their brunch-centric menu features plates like garlicky mushrooms on thick wedges of sourdough or milk buns filled with Irish halloumi. Their 'pie and drip' menu changes every week, with slabs like lemon meringue or coconut cream pie on offer with classic drip coffee. Neighbourhood Café There's a calming, Nordic vibe to Neighbourhood, but the brunch menu is anything but virtuous – think French toast made with banana bread and miso caramel, or a breakfast bap stuffed with bacon, sausage, egg and smoked cheese. Their coffee is excellent, but their range of Masala chai teas (iced on a hot day) are top notch. Save space for a cereal milk-flavoured soft serve afterwards. Return to index How we choose Every restaurant in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets, from neighbourhood favourites to Michelin-starred restaurants – to best suit every type of traveller's taste – and consider the food, service, best tables, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest opening and provide up to date recommendations. Return to index About our expert Nicola Brady I'm originally from Sussex, and I went on holiday to Ireland 16 years ago and never came back. While I'm now based in Dublin, I spent a decade living on the Northern Irish border and still visit regularly.