“Wow” was the only word I could utter when I stepped into the foyer of the freshly renovated and fabulously reimagined Hotel Metropole, now known as The Met.

My last visit to the hotel was as a small child in the 60s when, along with my mother, I was a guest at a relative’s silver wedding party. I vividly remember my aunt and uncle standing beneath the huge chandelier and greeting their guests – I also remember the rather worn carpet and the dull and drab furnishings in the hotel.

Years later when I came up to Leeds to visit my friends, many of whom were looking for city centre venues for engagements, 21sts and wedding receptions, they told me in their search they had steered clear of this venue, as it had become rather tired, dismal and old-fashioned.

But if they stepped inside now, I know their reaction would be different, and it would be their ‘must go to place’ for any celebrations with its new “wow factor”.

A Leeds landmark, the hotel dates back to the late 1800s and opened its doors in June 1899.

It was the brainchild of local architects Messrs Chorley, Connon & Chorley and a glittering new addition to Leeds, ready to welcome the great, the good, and the gloriously well-to-do.

It quickly became a magnet for wealthy businessmen, traders, and upper-middle-class leisure seekers, not to mention a favourite backdrop for formal civic soirées and the occasional overindulgent dinner party.

In the Victorian days, of course, everything was done with flair, drama, and a healthy disregard for subtlety. Nothing was done by halves, and this hotel was no exception. Built from gloriously decorative red brick and terracotta, and crowned at its pinnacle with the original 1860s stone cupola from Leeds' demolished Fourth White Cloth Hall, giving it a rather grand (and slightly mismatched) top hat.

Inside, the hotel boasts an opulent entrance hall, a billiard room, a drawing room, a reading room, and a grand dining saloon, all adorned with high ceilings and decorative cornicing.

During the Second World War, the southwest corner of the building was bombed, and the upper floors suffered. The hotel’s upper floors were rebuilt, though not quite with the same style and charm as the original design.

In the 70s, the building underwent a stylish redecoration. Sadly, some original decorative elements were lost or covered, such as the original fireplace openings, mosaic floors, tiled walls, and stained glass laylights in the dining room ceiling.

Thankfully, many of these beautiful features have survived the decades and now sit proudly under the watchful protection of a Grade II listing.

In November of this year, The Met, as it is now known, entered a new era in its landmark history; it is now brighter, bolder and wonderfully reimagined, yet still retains its Victorian charm.

The foyer is bright, light, spacious and airy with vibrant pops of colour and elegant yet stylish chairs and tables with bright artisan upholstery. The ballroom with its pillars and glass adornments has been lovingly renovated, taking it back to Victorian times.

But fast gaining a high reputation for its dining experience, the sophisticated Gotts Bar and Kitchen, discreetly situated inside the hotel, has a menu of seasonal dishes bursting with flavour.

Gott’s Bar and Kitchen is fortunate to have a very creative head chef in Harton Hayes.

Harton hails originally from Jamaica, where he was a keen cricketer and played for the under 15 and under 19 national teams.

“I moved to England in 2003 and worked my way up from a pot washer, soon getting the chance to work breakfast shifts, which ignited my passion for cooking and led to promotion as a trainee chef,” says Harton.

"Eventually, I joined the Met Hotel and received a promotion to Chef de Partie, a truly enlightening experience of cooking for 3,500 Christmas guests."

Along the way Harton gained his Level 1 and Level 2 qualifications in professional cookery and briefly left the Met to build and gain further experience and returned to develop his leadership skills, ultimately becoming Head Chef.

“Now after 13 and a half years I am proud to be showcasing new menus that celebrate the best local produce and reflect how far the Met has come,” he adds.

It was a very cold and snowy evening when we visited The Met, and the welcome we received from every member of staff was warm and comforting.

Gotts Kitchen is contemporary with exceptional style. The tables are well choreographed, the chairs are so tastefully upholstered and comfortable, and the designer lighting has been given a lot of thought.

Our server put us on a table near a radiator, as we must have looked like something from the cast of Frozen! This was so much appreciated, I can tell you, and all through the evening nothing was too much trouble for her.

The bar at the end of the room is a great design feature of the ‘Kitchen’ and a real piece of artistic planning.

After we had thawed out, we chose our starters from the Small Plates menu. I opted for the ham hock croquettes, and I couldn’t have made a better choice. The ham had been slow-braised and was skilfully blended with a flavoursome Wensleydale cheese and melt-in-the-mouth potato and came with a side dish of yellow pickle sauce – which resembled my favourite piccalilli without the vegetables.

There were three croquettes which were of a substantial size, and these were piping hot with a crispy coating.

My colleague opted for the Wensley Whip. This was very light and tasty, and served with the perfect combination of warm flatbread and radish, it was a starter to be savoured.

For the main course my colleague decided on the Spinach and Ricotta Tortellini. Again the dish was served piping hot. The pasta was beautifully cooked, and the coconut dressing was very light. It was served with spring greens, spring onions and watercress. A really delicious pasta dish.

I could not resist the grilled salmon – always a test for the chef to get its texture right, as it can be sometimes slimy or overcooked and dry.

This certainly passed the test with flying colours; the large portion was cooked to perfection. The potato gratin was the perfect accompaniment to the salmon and was tasty and again cooked just right, and with the sautéed greens made a great dish.

We decided to wait a while after our main course before even contemplating the desserts.

There was one dessert, and being a theatre critic and opera pundit, I had to choose, and that was the Met Opera Cake. This was certainly my heaven on a plate. The chocolate-layered sponge was as light as air, and the chocolate sauce was just the right texture.

My colleague went for the individual Lemon Meringue Pie. Obviously homemade, the sweet was very light. The meringue itself was light but not frothy, and the raspberry coulis went well with the taste of the lemon.

Just a point: all the dishes my colleague chose were vegetarian, as there is a brilliant choice for vegetarians and those with dietary needs, all marked on the menu.

Soon it was time to brave the arctic weather outside, but not before we indulged ourselves in a nightcap, savouring the fabulously reimagined surroundings of The Met.

Gotts Bar and Kitchen served food from 12 noon to 10.00pm.
Gotts Bar and Kitchen, The Met Hotel, King Street, Leeds LS1 2HQ.

Tel: 0113 245 0841 www.leedsmet-hotel.com