Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall

The drive up to Grantley Hall's magnificent stone facade prepares you for something extraordinary. Inside the hallowed halls of this 17th-century property lies Shaun Rankin's almighty fine dining masterpiece, a tasting menu-only experience inspired by Shaun's upbringing in Yorkshire, and incidentally where he won a Michelin star for the third time in his career.

The setting builds the suspense. The dining room is a picture of uncapped opulence, its high, corniced ceilings accentuated by white marble columns and vintage chandeliers. This is Grantley Hall's flagship restaurant and a fitting setting for Shaun's menu, but for a more intimate experience, you can book the six-person Kitchen Table located in the heart of Shaun's kitchen, a hair's breadth from the methodical workings of the chef team. This is where we're sitting today.

Both settings hinge around Shaun's exploratory Taste of Home menu, a gastronomic ode to his childhood growing up in Yorkshire and its bountiful local larder. Most of the ingredients don't travel much further than the kitchen garden, and what follows shows deep respect for freshness and seasonality. Snacks arrive promptly, including a heavenly bite of duck liver parfait with sharp blackberries and beetroot meringue, then an elegant dish of lobster dressed in a sprightly sea buckthorn hollandaise. The bread course comes in three: homemade sourdough served with butter infused with more than 10 different herbs, and a nourishing beef 'tea' that takes four days to make.

The meal crescendos with a fantastic grouse dish, here partnered with a spherical dumpling filled with slow-cooked leg meat, a cube of barbecued celeriac glazed in homemade Marmite, and a rich grouse sauce infused with preserved blackberries. Though technically complicated, Shaun often fills his menu with playful, nostalgic ideas, including his signature 'Magnum', a sweet-meets-savoury pre-dessert filled with mellow pumpkin ice cream and crunchy roasted pumpkin seeds. Dessert rounds off this celebration of Yorkshire's produce with fresh blackberries, crisp wafer and sorrel ice cream sitting harmoniously on a plate.

To drink, the Discovery wine pairing encompasses an intriguing selection of lesser-known grapes, from an aromatic Palava from the south Slovak wine region to a delicate South African Grenache. Like the food, service doesn't miss a beat, but the experience never feels stiff or overdone. This is flawless cooking in a setting befitting of its brilliance, and one we'd confidently rank amongst the greatest gastronomic experiences in the country.

Set within beautiful, well-tended parkland, 17th-century Grantley Hall exudes luxury, from the polite, plaid-uniformed staff to the lavish decor and furnishings within. Widely regarded as one of the best hotels in the country, Grantley Hall possesses everything you’d expect from an upscale country house hotel, and then some. Three restaurants, several bars, and a state-of-the-art gym and spa are just some of the draws for the well-heeled seeking a gold-standard stay, but it’s the partnership with critically acclaimed chef Shaun Rankin that undoubtedly takes top billing.

Rankin is Yorkshire born and bred but left the surrounds of the countryside to pursue his ambitions of becoming one of the country’s top chefs. Ambitions achieved via a handful of Michelin stars, he returned to open his eponymous restaurant in 2019 where he's since added another star to his collection. 

Rankin’s fine-dining restaurant is situated at the front of the hall in a plush room that’s as warm and inviting as it is beautiful. The original ornate ceiling sports twinkling chandeliers which come together with the rich drapes and heavy, scalloped chairs to create an air of hushed serenity.

A dedication to sustainability and quality means all meat (organic, naturally), cheese and seafood is sourced from local suppliers and, like the discernibly fresh fruit and vegetables, comes through in the superb flavours. It’s a tasting only affair here, with an optional – but advised wine or non-alcoholic drinks pairing. While dishes flex with the seasons, guests can expect the usual run of bread and butter into fish, meat and sweet plates that span ten courses and finish with a trolly of petite fours enjoyed at your table or in the next door lounge.