Chef Jono at V&V: Award-winning Leeds chef says children’s menus should be the biggest food trend of 2024

Jono Hawthorne is a proud dad and the award-winning chef behind Chef Jono at V&V, recently named among the best restaurants in the country by Food Awards England and the Smart Green Guide.

Chef Jono shot to fame after making the finals of Masterchef: The Professionals in 2020 and he was crowned Chef of the Year at the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Oliver Awards 2022.

But he isn’t afraid to get stuck in at Leeds restaurants of all calibres, regularly posting chef’s reviews on his Instagram page - where he’s tried everything from Greggs to Hooyah Burgers.

Chef Jono told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “No one really knows what’s going to happen in the new year, it feels like an uncertain time again. But I’m guessing we’ll see more street food places, more chain restaurants and bigger venues with bigger turnovers.

“I also think there’s more scope for restaurants to cater for families in Leeds and I hope we see more of that in 2024. I have a kid, and I think people are missing out on that market - I’ve said that for a long time.

“Kids menus are the future. When I was a young chef I didn’t realise that, but my son likes mash and plain pasta, that’s it. If we want to go out for a meal, that’s what we have to look for.

“From a business point of view, you’ve got to be looking at what kids want to eat. If there’s nothing for kids, then I can’t bring my family out.”

Chef Jono has recently launched private events and catering services, a new focus for his New Briggate restaurant in 2024. Chef Jono at V&V also launched a new five-course tasting menu for £45 earlier this year, and he predicts more restaurants will follow suit in diversifying their menus.

“It gives people options,” he added. “People like options now and I think we’ll see more restaurants following suit.

“But we haven’t changed much and we won’t in the new year. I think places that do good food will just carry on doing good food. People like familiarity, people will go for comfort food and stuff that they know, because they want good value for money.”