RESTAURANT owner Jonathan Tiffany is looking forward to some peace and quiet.

At the moment, he is working a seven-day week high above Holmfirth – dividing his time between running his restaurant, The Hepworth, which nestles against the hills near Hepworth and helping with the family’s other business, The Ford Inn at Greenfield Road.

“I’m spending four days here at The Hepworth and three days at the Ford,” he says. “Things have been very busy.

“My New Year’s resolution is to find a bit more time for myself and my fiancée Kristieanne.”

Mind you, Jonathan has no one but himself to blame for being rushed off his feet.

Work has taken absolute priority ever since he decided to buy the former CragRats Brasserie 14 months ago and set about creating The Hepworth.

“I was looking – not entirely seriously – at freehold properties,” says Jonathan.

“I was looking at North Yorkshire as a possibility, but when I heard that CragRats was going into administration I thought this could be an opportunity. We moved forward and got the finance in place.

“Everyone thought I was crackers – buying a restaurant from the administrators in the middle of a recession.

“Life is full of risks, but this was an opportunity. It could have all gone wrong, I suppose, but I was confident I could turn it around.

“It is a good chunk of freehold. If it had been leasehold, I wouldn’t have been interested. It had struggled under administration, but the restaurant had a good reputation for its food.”

Jonathan said the existing staff were wondering what was going to happen and whether they would have a secure job.

““We had a staff meeting where I explained that things would be run differently. They have genuinely taken it on board. They were looking forward to a new start with the restaurant under a re-brand and a new name.”

Kristieanne, who is spearheading the marketing of the restaurant, was also heavily involved in designing a new look for the premises. “There has been a few structural changes, but generally we have just gone for a more opulent look,” says Jonathan. “The food is contemporary British, which means using fresh local produce and giving it a bit of a twist.

“We want to be different. We want people to experience the restaurant as well as the food – from the music piped outside when they arrive at the car park to the quality of the food and drink and the service. We don’t want to be run of the mill.

“We have a head chef who was here when it was CragRats and who cares about what he does. We have a team that’s passionate about the business.

“I’m not afraid of hard work and I don’t expect any of my staff to do anything I wouldn’t do – whether it’s unblocking the drain or clearing snow from the car park.”

Jonathan’s really in his element dealing with the customers. “If I was cooped up in an office just doing the paperwork I would feel as if I’d had my wings clipped,” he says. “I enjoy working front-of-house and dealing with customers. I enjoy the buzz – whether it’s sharing a bit of banter at The Ford or here at The Hepworth, where you have to be a bit more formal, but still friendly and professional.”

Jonathan spent his early years in Almondbury before the family moved to Netherton. He attended Newsome High School and Honley Sixth Form College before embarking on a three-year hospitality management course at Huddersfield Technical College between 1989 and 1992.

“I was thinking about working on the kitchen side of things, but I quickly decided I preferred to be front-of-house,” he says. “I feel more comfortable dealing with customers, although I keep an eye on what’s going on in the kitchen! You are only as good as your chef and your butcher – and if you don’t get that right you will get nowhere.”

Looking back on a hectic 2010, Jonathan and Kristieanne wonder where the time went! “We’re asking ourselves, what have we done? We haven’t done anything, except put our hearts and souls into the business. But you have to do that before you can reap the rewards.”

The one to suffer most from all this “overwork” is the couple’s boisterous three-year-old chocolate Labrador, Max. “He really needs long walks, but we haven’t been able to devote the time to him,” says Jonathan. “When we do get chance to relax, it’s the simple things like walking Max around Langsett and spending quality time together.”

One of Jonathan’s other passions is biking. He is good friends with Jason Lodge, of Earnshaws Motorcycles at Longroyd Bridge – and recalls “getting the life scared out of me” riding pillion behind Huddersfield’s former World Superbike racer Jamie Whitham.

Jonathan is looking forward to repeating motorcycling holidays with Jason and his bike-riding mates in Scotland. “We generally head for Fort William,” he says. “But in truth it’s 30% riding bikes and the rest of the time just enjoying the social aspect. And I never try to ride beyond my abilities.”

Before that, there are further plans for The Hepworth. “The first couple of years is all about re-investing everything in the business,” says Jonathan. “That will continue because we are planning to create a ‘boutique’ hotel with five letting rooms upstairs within the next nine to 12 months.

“There is a shortage of good quality accommodation in this area. We catered for 40 weddings this year and offering an overnight stay will further help the wedding trade.”

Jonathan also has his eyes on some silverware. “We are involved with the regional tourist body, Welcome to Yorkshire,” he says. “Now we are The Hepworth and we have stamped our personality on it, we will be going for some awards in 2011.”

Perhaps Jonathan’s New Year’s resolution may have to wait!