One of Yorkshire’s top chefs has been forced to pause his fine dining business to battle cancer for a second time.

Tim Bilton, head chef and owner of the Spiced Pear, Hepworth, will be taking time away from his restaurant after he was again diagnosed with the disease again late last month.

Tim, 43, opened the gastropub and tearoom on Sheffield Road while fighting a rare form of eye cancer.

The award-winning chef, who appeared on the BBC’s Great British Menu, was recovering from the disease when another tumour was found.

Tim’s wife Adele, 33, said: “During a recent check-up, it was discovered that Tim’s cancer has returned and this time he has accepted that he will need to take a step back from the business to concentrate on his treatment and recovery.

“With Tim away from the kitchen we feel we cannot continue the fine dining side of the business without him at the helm.”

Adele, who has two children with Tim, added: “It’s been very difficult. After he’d had various operations, radiotherapy and chemotherapy it was a shock.

Tim Bilton, second left, with staff at The Spiced Pear and his son Henry, 8
Tim Bilton, second left, with staff at The Spiced Pear and his son Henry, 8

“We’re not sure as yet about the long-term. We’re focusing on Tim getting himself better and the team at the Spiced Pear carrying on as normal.”

While Tim undergoes treatment and surgery Adele will continue to run the popular tearoom.

She said: “The popularity of the tearooms has exceeded all our expectations over the past two years and so we feel it’s the perfect time to make the tearoom the hub of the business, headed up by myself and our brilliant team.

“Although this is a difficult time for us personally, our mission continues to be to provide a lovely place for people to eat, drink, relax and celebrate special occasions.”

How good is the Spiced Pear? Read our glowing review here.

Tim studied catering at Huddersfield University and later worked for two years at Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons, Raymond Blanc’s multi-award winning Oxfordshire restaurant.

He later became head chef at Bibis, the renowned Leeds bistro, before he and Adele took over The Butchers Arms, at Hepworth.

Tim Bilton
Tim Bilton

Tim was named Examiner Young Business Person of the Year at the 2010 Examiner Business Awards while The Butchers Arms was named Yorkshire Life’s Dining Pub of the Year Award in 2009.

Tim and Adele, who met at Leeds City College, opened the Spiced Pear in 2013 – three weeks after Tim had an operation to remove the tumour which left him with 30 stitches in his eye.

And despite the post-operative pain he was back in the kitchen the next day.

Tim described himself as a ‘glass half full person’ when he was first diagnosed with cancer.

Adele added: “I’m sure once he’s beaten this he’ll be back.”