Former MasterChef contestant Mike Bartley is putting Bishop Auckland on the culinary map with the launch of Jörd, a fine dining restaurant bringing the town its first tasting menu experience, writes Yvonne Hawkey.

Inspired by a passion for Scandinavian cuisine and a belief in letting exceptional ingredients speak for themselves, Jörd offers a fresh approach to fine dining, with a menu centred around locally sourced produce, seasonality and simplicity.

Named after Jörd, the Norse goddess of the Earth, the restaurant champions food that is rooted in its surroundings. Dishes are thoughtfully created using quality ingredients, with a stripped-back approach that allows the natural flavours of the produce to take centre stage.

Born and raised in Bishop Auckland, Mike’s early career took an unconventional route. Before finding his way into hospitality, he was a musician and singer with local band Red Method, performing at venues across the North East and beyond.

He went on to spend more than 20 years working in hospitality management, followed by five years as a private chef. His career took him around the world as well as working and living in cities including London and Leeds, before family life brought him full circle and back to his hometown.

Jörd’s understated, minimalist interior reflects Mike’s philosophy of keeping things simple. Adding a personal touch, the walls feature paintings depicting Bishop Auckland’s Market Place as it looked during his younger years, when he worked as a glass collector at Monaco’s.

The restaurant, which seats 34 guests, has been brought to life thanks to support from the Property Reuse Fund and an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign. The funding enabled essential refurbishment work to transform the premises and create the space Mike had envisioned.

Looking ahead, there are ambitious plans for Jörd, including expanding into the beautiful upstairs room in 2027, which offers views across the Market Place. Future plans also include introducing Sunday roasts and making the upstairs venue available for private hire.

Reflecting on the journey to opening Jörd, Mike said:

“I wouldn’t have been able to open Jörd without the Property Reuse Fund, as we needed to undertake some major refurbishment work to create the layout we wanted. The Kickstarter campaign was also a huge success, with more than 460 people pledging their support. I honestly didn’t expect such an incredible response from the community, but it was hugely reassuring and showed me there was a genuine appetite for what I wanted to bring to the town.”

Mike’s experience on MasterChef helped shape his approach to cooking, reinforcing his belief that great food doesn’t need to be complicated.

“Being on MasterChef taught me that you don’t need to throw lots of different elements onto a plate. Simplicity and fresh produce are key. It’s about understanding your ingredients and allowing them to shine. Our fresh raviolo is a perfect example – it uses just four ingredients, but it’s simply delicious and has quickly become a firm favourite.”

While the restaurant industry is renowned for its demanding hours, Mike is equally passionate about creating a positive working environment for his team. As a father of two young boys, he understands the importance of family life and is determined to ensure his staff have the opportunity to rest, recharge, and spend quality time with their own families.

And while food is now at the centre of his working life, Mike’s musical roots remain very much alive.

Each year, he and Chef de Partie Jake Ayre, head to Priory Farm Music Camp in North Yorkshire, where they cook for around 120 children and teenagers over a two-week period. It’s a chance to bring together two of Mike’s lifelong passions – music and food.

“It’s incredibly fulfilling to still be involved in music. Bringing music and food together is just heavenly!”

With its Scandinavian-inspired approach, commitment to local produce and strong community roots, Jörd is bringing something distinctive to Bishop Auckland’s growing food and hospitality scene – and for Mike, there’s no better place to do it than home.