KELLYVILLE cooking school Urban Graze has another feather in its cap after owners Joel Owen and Tarrah Laidmann seized the opportunity to run a restaurant and pub in Millthorpe.

They opened the doors to the refurbished Commercial Hotel in August after they were approached by the previous owner while they set up a second cooking school down the road.

``The previous owner had little restaurant experience,'' Ms Laidmann said.

``He had a wine background, and was not enjoying his venture in hospitality. The offer was quite a reasonable price, so we seized the opportunity to run a country pub.''

Urban Graze's flagship school in Kellyville has just celebrated its fourth year and is a local business award finalist.

Mr Owen and Ms Laidmann will juggle local cooking classes and their Millthorpe commitments, including restaurant Basalt @ The Commercial, with the help of a few key people.

``We have a very good head chef at Basalt,'' Ms Laidmann said. ``Tom Grasso is a local with a real passion for food and the local products. He and our floor manager Miranda Boyd will run the show there.

``Joel is very much a part of the hotel now and is teaching our classes in Millthorpe as well. I am running our school in Kellyville with assistance from my friend Joh, who helps keep things running smoothly and efficiently.''

A front bar that had been boarded up has been opened, four original fireplaces that were dry-walled over have been restored, and doorways opened to give the establishment a light, airy feel.

Ms Laidmann said there were no poker machines just great local wines, spirits from Bathurst and locally brewed beer on tap. ``The bar has been completely rebuilt and finished using sandstone and a benchtop made of recycled bottles,'' she said.

``We plan on adding the kitchen garden component in a few weeks once the rains have slowed that will eventually sustain the restaurant and supply our cooking school, which is a stone's throw from the hotel.

``It is a great relief to start trading as a complete business, not a half-finished one. Millthorpe is a fabulous village and to be a part of the small community was very appealing.''