There was a slight feeling of déjà vu approaching the Wild Swan; it wasn’t that long ago that I was reviewing this historic 18th-century inn at Minskip within touching distance of Junction 48 of the A1 and the small town of Boroughbridge. It was good to be back.

The low winter sun was glinting across the pub, reflecting in the puddles from yesterday’s rain, and there was an anticipatory feel in the air as my guest and I parked up.

I had opted for a lunchtime meal rather than visiting in the evening. Too many establishments these days are not welcoming when it gets to about 9pm, making diners feel uncomfortable as they hover around, wanting guests to depart sooner rather than lingering and enjoying the dining experience. The welcome from the Wild Swan’s team was friendly and sociable, with a nod to good hospitality.

Matt Turton, one of Yorkshire's most talented chefs, has recently joined the team, vowing to take the Wild Swan to the “next level." Turton has previously worked with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey when the celebrity chef and restaurateur opened his Heddon Street restaurant in Soho. He was head chef, opening and building the reputation of Jesper’s Wine Bar and Kitchen in Harrogate, as well as working on the set of ITV’s popular soap opera Emmerdale.

“I am incredibly single-minded, and cooking is my life. I am passionate about my food, and nothing gives me greater pleasure than seeing a restaurant full of appreciative customers enjoying what I have cooked. Good food is more than just a meal; it’s an experience that you remember,” he said.

Despite it being Christmas, the menu was refreshingly non-seasonal, and there was a mixture of lunchtime diners who were not too busy but pleasantly occupied so as not to be overbearing. Despite the milder weather, there was a quite noticeable, chilly drought emanating from somewhere.

The menu was interesting, inventive, and innovative. There are so many appealing choices from the starters. I could quite easily have feasted on all of them: a mushroom cigar (Ve) mushroom soil, pickled enoki, smoked garlic purée, and mushroom ketchup (£9) to a pork hash brown with tomato pancetta, black bean cassoulet, and confit egg yolk (£9) to a chorizo Scotch egg with red pepper ketchup and broad bean and cashew nut salad (£9).

All groupings of ingredients appealed to my palate, as did my choice of torched smoked mackerel with spiced yoghurt, pickled watermelon, and pumpkin seed granola (£10), while my guest opted for the confit chicken terrine with sweetcorn purée, charred sweetcorn, and candied maple pistachios (£10).

When the starters arrived, the presentation was first-class and had a visual wow factor. The spiced yoghurt was subtly flavoured and spiced, complemented by the sweetness of the sticky pumpkin seed granola, both making a valiant effort to complement the dominant flavour of the mackerel. The pickled watermelon cleansed the palate. There was a nice twist on sweetcorn, and the aroma of the roasted nuts was distinctive. It was an interesting and enjoyable addition to the menu, although the maple-pistachio flavour was distant. The charring process enhanced the sweetness of the thinly sliced sweetcorn.

If the visual presentation of the starters impressed, then the brilliance of the main courses was surpassed with a cornucopia of colour.

Again, a nice choice to delight the foodie. A duck breast with confit duck pommes Anna, vanilla Jerusalem artichoke purée and charred leek plus blackberry jus (£25), a Thai style pork belly, a peanut crusted pumpkin croquette, Massaman curry sauce, deep-fried vermicelli, and Thai vegetable parcel (£22), and for the vegetarian, a Moroccan spiced butternut squash accompanied with couscous fritters, chickpea purée, red pepper and apricot salsa toasted almond and a spiced tomato sauce (£19), the signature fish pie (£19), moules frites in a creamy white wine sauce with shallots and parsley (£18), and beer battered fish and chips (£18) were all reasonably priced.

I chose the pan-seared cod saffron Parisian potatoes, petit pois a la Française, and pancetta brown shrimp butter (£23). The plate was a joy to look at. The cod was fluffy and well cooked, and the pancetta is always a good addition to enhance flavour to the benefit of the brown shrimp butter. The small, round crispy potatoes added a nice texture, which, along with the classic French petit pois dish, was delightful.

As to the steak and ale pie, A nicely shaped wedge of good-quality shredded steak was presented along with a generous helping of peas and chips. The pie, though, lacked meat juices, was exceptionally dry, and had no hint of ale, although there was gravy. The meat, however, was tender, and the thin slices of pastry meant the dish was not too heavy and was cooked well. From a seasoning-come-flavour point of view, there was something missing.

A nice range of traditional pub fare is featured on the dessert menu. The French Vanilla Crème Brulé was full of taste, although the accompanying shortbread was disappointing. Had an alternative to butter been used? There was an absence of lemon flavour. The banoffee cheesecake with salted caramel ice cream will be a delight for someone with an exceedingly sweet tooth. All deserts are priced at £8.

The wine list is as good as I remembered it, with some excellent additions.

A party of eight close to me were waxing lyrical about their lunches, prompting them (all men!) to discuss how they enjoyed cooking and describing different techniques.

As we got up to leave, there was a lovely atmosphere with people toing and froing, and as Turton develops his culinary blank canvas, the Wild Swan will attract diners from across the area and those who happen to need a pit stop from the A1.