Chef Jono at V&V: Top Leeds fine-dining chef on why he’s not pushing for a Michelin star

The Michelin Guide was first published by the French tyre company in 1900, and awards up to three stars for what its critics think are the finest restaurants in the world. 

But one Leeds chef thinks the stars have lost their appeal - no longer putting bums on seats during the cost of living crisis. 

Jono Hawthorne is the chef patron behind Chef Jono at V&V, one of the city’s few fine-dining restaurants. 

A professional chef for more than 16 years, Jono trained at Michelin-star restaurants in Denmark, Sydney and closer to home at The Box Tree in Ilkley, which has been frank in its ambition to regain a star.

For Chef Jono and his New Briggate restaurant, however, it’s not the priority. 

“If it comes, it comes,” he told the Yorkshire Evening Post. “We just want to make great food and make our guests happy, and if they think that’s worthy of a Michelin star then I guess we’ll take it. But it’s not something that I feel we really need to go for. 

“I think the attitude towards Michelin is absolutely changing. Michelin doesn’t put bums on seats. The food, looking after your customers, and giving your customers what they want is what puts money in the till so you can pay your staff.

“Having a Michelin star used to do that, but it doesn’t do that now.”

It comes as Leeds’ only Michelin star restaurant, Michael O’Hare’s The Man Behind The Curtain, closed at the end of last year. It will reopen as Psycho Sandbar in February, but without the star.

In an interview with the YEP last year, Michael said that while he was grateful for the accolade, it wouldn’t be the goal for his new restaurant.

Chef Jono said: “You used to be able to charge £150 for a Michelin meal and you’d still be fully booked for three months. 

“Now, you can get into a Michelin star restaurant tomorrow. That tells you everything you need to know about Michelin.

“Personally, I don’t think it’s too much of a good thing. We’re happy where we are. 

“It just gives you an award, recognition, that’s it. It’s not filling my restaurant. If it was, then Man Behind The Curtain would have been busy.

“As soon as you say you’re a Michelin star restaurant, I think it puts people off a little bit now.”

Chef Jono at V&V is no stranger to awards, recently named among the best restaurants in the country by Food Awards England and the Smart Green Guide. Jono himself was crowned Chef of the Year at the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Oliver Awards 2022.

While the awards are welcome, the Masterchef: The Professionals star has a simple business model - and it’s working. 

“Our goal is to keep doing what we’re doing,” he said. 

“We just want to be a nice restaurant that everyone in Leeds can be proud of. We do great, fine-dining, tasting menu food and we’ve got a welcoming feel. 

“I’m not going to spray my walls pink or do levitating food that no one is going to come and eat. 

“You need to give your guests what they want and be in touch with your guests. We listen to feedback, we engage with them, and we know what they want. 

“They just want to have a good time when they come here. And if you make it stiff, if there’s small portions or the usual stuff that you used to be able to charge people £150 for, that doesn’t work anymore. 

“Times have changed.”