Celebrity opening of dining room and kitchen

l Rosemary Schrager opens the White Bear hotel's new dining room and kitchen, watched by Edward Theakston

December 6, 2007: Rosemary Schrager, celebrity chef and star of ITV’s School for Cooks, has opened a new dining room and kitchen at the Theakston-owned White Bear hotel, in Masham, Yorkshire. The opening marks the first part of a major refurbishment announced by the brewer earlier this year.

Marking the first stage of this £1.5 million makeover to transform the adjacent property and former brewery offices into a hotel and conference centre, the White Bear has been refurbished to retain its traditional character and very warm welcome.

Rosemary, a family friend of the Theakstons, is currently hosting the latest series of Rosemary Shrager’s School for Cooks, a knockout competition where amateur cooks are given the chance to show off their culinary credentials against each other for a chance to be selected for training jobs as chefs in a Michelin Star restaurant. Rosemary, who has been a resident in Masham for several years, also achieved fame as a judge on ITV’s Soapstar Superchef and the reality series Ladette to Lady.

The refurbishment has seen an overhaul of the old premises, including an extension to the kitchen which will now be led by new head chef, Portuguese-born Carlos Leite, who has moved from the Golden Lion in Northallerton.

Edward Theakston, one of the Theakston brothers, said: “We are delighted at the progress of the White Bear refurbishment and are grateful to Rosemary for kindly agreeing to open the new dining room for us. We are pleased to have completed the first stage of this major redevelopment and to see it change before our eyes.

“Masham is a very popular spot in North Yorkshire and the development of the White Bear will help meet the growing demand for accommodation and for local meeting facilities.”

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