One of Britain’s most well-regarded and finest chefs, Tommy Banks, will be serving up a fine dining experience at Seat Unique Riverside in 2025 during England’s IT20 against West Indies.
Tommy will serve dishes that will boast the best of British flavours alongside the finest views of Lumley Castle, having developed a passion for locally sourced, seasonal ingredients.
Born and bred in North Yorkshire, Tommy’s first passion in life was cricket and he dreamt of becoming a professional cricketer. Life however took him in a different direction with his natural culinary talents leading him to swap cricket whites for chef whites.
From his family’s farming background and working in his parent’s pub kitchen at a young age, Tommy has become a highly acclaimed chef known for unique and innovative flavours and a dedication to sustainably sourced food, much of which he grows on his own farm in Oldstead.
In 2013, he was awarded a Michelin star at the age of just 24, and he now owns and runs three thriving restaurants, as well as a premium food box delivery service Made In Oldstead.
He has also won BBC’s Great British Menu twice and won the Christmas special making him a three time trophy winner.
In 2019, he combined his two passions of cricket and food, heading up the kitchen for a sold-out Lord’s Dining Club, an exclusive event in which Michelin-starred chefs host a culinary experience in the famous Long Room of the Pavilion at the Home of Cricket.
Tom Seymour, Sales Director at Durham Cricket said: “We are thrilled to welcome Tommy to Seat Unique Riverside for our men’s international.
“To have a local chef with a passion for cricket cater for our guests with a fine dining experience is fantastic and we can’t wait to taste some amazing food.
“This experience has proven very popular with a number of places sold, it will a great day which I am sure Tommy will very much enjoy.”