Marco Pierre White was in Ilkley on 20 March with old friends, Simon and Rena Gueller, to celebrate 50 years of The Box Tree. Guests enjoyed an evening of Champagne and canapés as they reminisced five decades of success in the restaurant which helped kick-start Marco’s career some 30 years ago.
In 1962 two culinary visionaries, Malcolm Reid and Colin Long, set the standard in providing exquisite food and service in a regional restaurant to compete with the star restaurants of London – unheard of until The Box Tree in Ilkley opened.
Marco Pierre White and Simon Gueller met as teenagers and formed an enduring friendship. Marco took his first steps in his career aged 16 on 20th March 1978 at the Hotel St George in Harrogate. Young chef, Marco Pierre White went on to The Box Tree kitchens aged 17½ under the eye of Malcolm and Colin. Simon and Rena Gueller, aged 24 and 21, opened their first restaurant, Miller’s Restaurant in Harrogate, in 1989. By pure coincidence, Malcolm and Colin became customers and friends, offering a young couple taking their first steps in the restaurant business, invaluable advice. Advice that helped them take The Box Tree into the 21st century and build the reputation that the restaurant enjoys today.
Having recently announced its retention of the Michelin Star for an unprecedented 8th year running and 13 years for Simon as a chef with Michelin Star status, The Box Tree celebrates 50 years of being at the top of its game. Marco has achieved critical acclaim for his innovative and extraordinary skills and celebrates the 50th as a milestone not only for the restaurant, but as a moment of reflection on a career and how his ‘spiritual home’ helped shape his ambitions.
Under the direction of Simon and Rena Gueller, The Box Tree looks to the future and is celebrating throughout the year.