Forde Horsforth: Leeds MasterChef star Matt Healy to 'cast the net wider' with opening of second site in Ilkley

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A celebrity chef behind one of Leeds’ top restaurants has announced the opening of a second site.

Chef Matt Healy, who shot to fame after getting to the final of MasterChef: The Professionals in 2016, opened Forde in Town Street, Horsforth, in December 2021. 

Just three years on, Matt said he is excited - and nervous - to reveal that Forde is set to open in the Moors Shopping Centre, in Ilkley, this September. 

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Forde is set open in Ilkley this September. Pictured is chef Matt Healy outside the Horsforth site. Photo: James HardistyForde is set open in Ilkley this September. Pictured is chef Matt Healy outside the Horsforth site. Photo: James Hardisty
Forde is set open in Ilkley this September. Pictured is chef Matt Healy outside the Horsforth site. Photo: James Hardisty | James Hardisty

Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Matt said: “It’s always been on the cards to grow the brand.

“We weren't forcing the issue - if the right place came up in the right part of town, we'd investigate further. 

“And fortunately enough, my wife and I were in Ilkley getting knives sharpened somewhere when we just decided to have a little drive around, and we found this perfect little spot.” 

The chef added: “The Horsforth site is very small, 22 seats. It was a project to put me back on my feet, after losing my other restaurant because of Covid

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“And it was only supposed to be a cafe, a decent little coffee spot that did charcuterie and cheese and cocktails in the evening. 

“But it sort of snowballed and we've ended up building a really good team and having a really good reputation, and it's allowed us to be able to grow.

“People that have been coming to the one in Horsforth from Ilkley say, ‘you've got to open over there’ and ‘if you were to open over there, we’d be there all the time’. 

“I know people say that, and a lot of times it’s quite empty, but I'm very, very excited to get a second bigger site and to cast the net a bit wider on what we do, and try and get a different demographic over there.”

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Forde has built a name for itself in Horsforth, offering brunch and coffee by day, Yorkshire charcuterie, local cheese, small plates and fine wines by night. 

And Matt is excited to be able to expand the concept further with his new 40-cover restaurant, which neighbours newly-opened Italian restaurant Pranzo.

He explained: “What I want to do is, as the brand grows, have a core menu - any Forde you go into, you'll get the same charcuterie board, or cheese board, whatever dish that may be. 

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“And then we'll change the menu to fit the site, to fit the town, the city that we go into.

“The Ilkley site will be different in a sense that it's bigger and we can offer more, but the core of what we offer will be the same as Horsforth - really lovely small plates, a banging Sunday roast, great cocktails and great wines.”

Find out more information about Forde Ilkley via its official social media channels, where Matt said he will be documenting the transformation of the site. 

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