A County Durham chef is now well on course to open his own restaurant following the success of a fundraising campaign that saw him smash his target within days.
Mike Bartley, based in Bishop Auckland where he is aiming to open his debut restaurant Jörd, was a contestant on MasterChef in 2021 where he narrowly missed out on a place in the quarter-finals but impressed judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace with the likes of a Earl Grey panna cotta with baked peaches which has become his signature dish. Since then he has been keen to show off more of his culinary skills, with his dream of opening a restaurant serving a tasting menu and small plates.
On seeing a chance to take advantage of an upcoming £12m Kingsway Quarter regeneration project in his home town, he set his sights on a venue in Newgate Street and launched an online Kickstarter campaign with a £35,000 target which, by Tuesday afternoon, had already surpassed that, raising more than £39,000 with another 37 days to run. It now means that Mike’s dream to open Jörd next year has taken a giant leap forward.
Mike says his planned restaurant takes its name – pronounced you-rd – from the Norse goddess of the Earth and it translates as land or soil in Scandinavian languages. The name was chosen to highlight the connection between his cooking style and the land around the restaurant, using ingredients that are foraged and locally-grown.
And its focus is set to be European-style cuisine. Mike said: “A strong connection to the land is so important for me. Not only are ingredients at their freshest when they are harvested on the same day that they are served but the quality is far superior to supermarket produce.
“My food waste is turned into compost, which feeds the next batch of crops and creates a perpetual cycle of sustainability.” Since his MasterChef appearance, Mike has carried out intern work in Michelin-star kitchens and then launched his private-dining enterprise Djam Kitchen, which brings restaurant-quality dishes to people’s homes, as well as branching out into the likes of Bishop Auckland and Seaham Food Festivals.
The building for his proposed restaurant is set to see its Tudor-style facade revamped during the regeneration works while plans for the rear of the site include a modern overhaul to include outdoor terraces and views of newly-created green spaces. He said: “I have loved being a private chef over the past two years but a restaurant has always been in the back of my mind and, when I heard about this opportunity, I knew it was the right time to take the leap.”
Mike wants a “quality fit-out” for the interior of his 40-cover restaurant whose look will reflect the style of its contemporary European cuisine with additional global influences and flavours. He is going for “cosy luxury” with a relaxed ambience.
“I try to steer away from the term ‘fine dining’ when describing my food because I think it evokes notions of inaccessibility and opulence,” he said. “I’d like to think my food is elevated in flavour and appearance but in a way that can be enjoyed by everyone.”
He expects to create at least 12 staff jobs upon its opening, planned for the middle of 2024, and also aims to provide training and hands-on restaurant experience to local college students.
With the crowdfund campaign running until October 27, Mike hopes the final amount will mean he can develop the site the way he wants to, ahead of the launch. He said: “All money raised will go towards maximising the potential of the restaurant as an addition to my existing capital.”
Anyone wanting to donate to the campaign can do so here. There is also an opportunity to make a pledge in return for a reward. Options include having your name displayed on the restaurant wall for a £10 pledge; an opening canape night reception for £20 and a range of discounted tasting menu experiences, from £90 for two enjoying a minimum of seven courses.
