Episodes

  • Christmas Prep

    Christmas Prep
    Nov 14 2025
    It's closer than you think and time is ticking by. So as we are already mid-November, what can we be doing now to prepare for the festivities? Bruce Elsworth, The Dales Chef, give us some great ideas on things to do now ready for the festive period and top tips on pre-preparing before Christmas Day. We look at the origins of Pigs in Blankets and a fantastic cheat so your mince pies on Christmas Day taste like you made them that morning! Three ways to make Port and Stilton and how to make mincemeat the traditional way. Plus some great ideas for wow factor deserts to follow the Turkey! So, lots of things we can be doing in November and some great tips for being organised on the big day.
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    13 mins
  • Puddings

    Puddings
    Nov 7 2025
    British Pudding Day is this Sunday - the 9th November. It is a day when pudding lovers can gather and indulge in every kind of pudding that they ever desired. In this episode, Bruce Elsworth, The Dales Chef looks at the origins of British Puddings and how the rich culinary tradition behind baking puddings is still alive and a favourite of many all over the world. We look at both sweet and savoury flavours from the butchers finest puddings to a jam roly-poly and steam pudding, as Bruce reminisces about school dinners! Also this week, Bruce was honoured to win at the Deliciously Yorkshire Great Taste Awards. Elsworth at the Mill won the award for 'best use of local produce on a menu', which recognised their commitment to locally sourced produce across their menus and at their themed events. Well done Bruce and the team!
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    12 mins
  • Porridge

    Porridge
    Oct 31 2025
    Warm, nourishing, and endlessly adaptable, porridge is far more than a simple breakfast—it’s a culinary canvas steeped in tradition, comfort, and creativity. From the oat-rich highlands of Scotland to the rice-based congees of East Asia, porridge has fed generations across cultures, offering sustenance and solace in equal measure, as Bruce Elsworth, The Dales Chef Finds out in this episode. At its core, porridge is a dish made by simmering grains in water or milk until creamy. And its good for you as Bruce explains. Whether you're chasing slow-release energy, gut-friendly fibre, or just a cozy start to your day, porridge delivers. Beyond its nutritional virtues, porridge carries emotional weight. It’s the food of childhood memories, of cold mornings warmed by steam rising from the bowl, of quiet rituals and communal tables. Remember Ready Breck back in the seventies? In short: porridge is ancient, modern, comforting, and chic—all depending on how you dress it. Ready to stir the pot with Bruce and his Spurtle?
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    12 mins
  • Stouts and Porters

    Stouts and Porters
    Oct 24 2025
    In this edition of the Dales Chef, Bruce Elsworth looks at Stouts and Porters. Winter is almost upon us. The nights are drawing in and the clocks go back this weekend. What better time to introduce some heart-warming tipples. Where did the name Porter come from? and what's the most famous of them all - of course a drop of the black stuff! We look at using stout in a fruit cake - but there are so many other great uses for a splash or two in cooking. Bruce encourages us to try some more local options other than the obvious big names and recommends a few and where to enjoy them.
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    10 mins
  • Pumpkins

    Pumpkins
    Oct 17 2025
    It is almost Halloween, the leaves have turned golden brown and orange and it's time to pick your pumpkin! More than just Halloween décor, pumpkins are a type of winter squash that’s been cultivated for thousands of years, as the Dales Chef explains. Native to the Americas, they’re packed with nutrients, flavour, and history. From creamy soups and spiced lattes to jack-o’-lanterns glowing on porches, pumpkins are a seasonal staple that blend tradition, taste, and a touch of magic. Whether you’re carving one or cooking it, there’s something undeniably comforting about this humble gourd and we've got the inspiration in this edition of the Dales Chef, for a ghoolish Halloween! What's the difference between a shop bought large one for carving and a farm grown one for cooking with? Bruce explains, ahead of unloading 50 from the back of his car, as he gets ready for his daughter's school pumpkin patch! So, as the pumpkins grin and the skeletons dance, remember—if your jack-o’-lantern starts whispering your name… it’s probably just the wind. Probably.... (cue the chilling laughter)
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    11 mins
  • The Yorkshire Dales Cheese Festival

    The Yorkshire Dales Cheese Festival
    Oct 10 2025
    The Yorkshire Dales Cheese Festival runs from 10th to 19th October 2025 and in this episode Bruce looks at what delights await us at the festival, from producers to restaurants and other establishments in the Dales. Welcome to The Taste of the Dales—your backstage pass to the bold, the crumbly, and the beautifully unexpected world of Yorkshire cheese. In this edition of the Dales Chef, we’re diving into the heart of the Yorkshire Dales Cheese Festival: a celebration of craft, culture, and creamy indulgence - everything from Ploughman’s lunches to daring wine pairings. We talk about the origins of Wensleydale, right up to new producers like Curlew Dairy - makers of Yoredale and of course we couldn't let an episode like this go by without talking about Andy and Kathy Swinscoe's amazing Courtyard Dairy near Settle. Bruce is hosting a special celebration of Cheese at his restaurant- so what's on the menu? Well, cheese with every course - of coarse! Ready to nibble your way through the Dales? You can find our more about the Yorkshire Dales Cheese Festival 2025 on the National Park Website and download their interactive map to help plan your cheese experience - enjoy!
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    11 mins
  • Soups

    Soups
    Oct 3 2025
    We are talking all about the origins of our favourite winter dish - the humble soup. How simple a basic soup is to make and how to elevate it to another level and tantilise your winter tastebuds! It is National Carrot Day today, so the focus leans towards Carrot and Corriander soup and Bruce's top tips for making the best soup. How to make a consume (a clear soup) and historically, Bruce tells us why it was invented. We talk about cold soups, although the fun side of these we'll save for next summer. What is Muligatawny, why ladies mainly used to eat soup and how it was invented by Neanderthal Man!
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    12 mins
  • Eat your greens!

    Eat your greens!
    Sep 26 2025
    In this edition, Bruce Elsworth looks at greens - cabbage, broccoli, kale and sprouts. From smoothies to sprouts at Christmas, we talk about the health benefits. Bruce looks at the origins of cabbage and how it was a life saver during the potato fammine.
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    12 mins