FISH and willow may seem an unusual combination, but with it Rob and Emma Green have found a recipe for success.

With the restaurant they developed from scratch named as one of the best in the country, and a flourishing second business in willow creations, the couple have come a long way in just four years.

"We are so proud and pleased with the way things are going, but it's not all halibut and holidays," said Mr Green. "It's been 24 hours a day for a long time, but thankfully it's paying off."

The hard work they have put into Greens Restaurant in Bridge Street, Whitby, has certainly been rewarded with inclusion in one of the most respected guides to Britain's best restaurants.

Appearing in the listings alongside Gordon Ramsay's restaurant, Greens has officially been named as one of the top 200 restaurants by the Egon Ronay guide.

The highly-respected guide praises both the food and atmosphere in the restaurant, which was assessed by a visit from an anonymous inspector.

It is the only restaurant between Newcastle and York to be awarded a place in the top 200, and, as a result, has attracted a lot of attention.

"To be honest we hadn't quite realised how important the guide was at first," said Mr Green. "But a lot of people have come here just because they've seen us included. A lot of people say they have come to Whitby specifically to try the food, and we've had a couple drive come up from Nottingham just to have Sunday lunch here.

"It's great to see our name attached to Whitby and if we are able to bring people from further afield to the town, then all the better. It's a lovely place, so it's nice to be connected with it."

Their commitment to the local area extends throughout the business, with the restaurant only using fresh, locally-sourced products.

The fish comes from Whitby quay, while the meat comes from Marwood's Farm at Helmsley, and is selected and matured by butcher Andrew Radford from Sleights, near Whitby.

Their commitment to freshness means there is no set menu; instead, the dishes are varied each day depending on what produce has been bought.

The restaurant's popularity and reputation has increased impressively since the couple opened the doors in 2001.

Mr Green, who had been a chef since he was 15, met his future wife in 2000 when she was teaching art.

Desperate to open their own restaurant, the couple were thrilled when their current site, a former fish and chip shop, became available.

They opened the 40-seat restaurant with one full-time chef and a waitress, but nowadays employ between ten and 12 staff. Their family has also grown, with the addition of baby son Alfie, who was born in October.

The couple have continued with their hands-on approach to running the restaurant, with Mr Green working long hours in the kitchen. They are helped by assistant manager Steve Aspden and sous chef Ryan Osbourne.

Along with word-of-mouth visitors, the restaurant's reputation has also attracted some well-known faces.

The couple were asked to provide the food and wine for the Duke of Edinburgh when he visited the Captain Cook Museum and HM Bark Endeavour in March last year, and presented a special paella dish.

"It was a real honour to be asked to do that," said Mr Green. "He seemed to enjoy it, but I think he was secretly hoping to have fish and chips."

The Greens have also attracted attention thanks to their continued success and featured in television series Raw Chefs. The programme was screened in February and followed Mr Green as he conjured up a meal for family and friends.

Along with the food, the cosy and stylish atmosphere is one of the restaurant's most positive features, and even this can be put down to the couple's talents.

The walls are tastefully decorated with photographs of Emma Green's unusual willow sculptures, with the occasional life-size piece placed in the room.

The artist, who produces the artwork under her maiden name of Emma Stothard, is enjoying a growing demand for the life-sized animals she creates from woven willow.

The sculptures are based on sketches and photos of animals, birds and figures and adorn homes and gardens across the country.

The willow is soaked in cattle troughs for a fortnight to make it pliable; it is then interwoven and shaped around a metal framework. Once finished, the piece is coated in linseed oil to preserve and protect it.

Ms Stothard, who has a degree in fine art, said she took her inspiration from the rural surroundings.

"I had seen people work with willow before, and was really interested in it," she said. "I just fell in love with the natural look of the willow and wanted to take it further."

Her pieces include cows, horses, dogs, a llama, deer, a rhino, unicorns and a 12ft-tall chicken.

She works on the sculptures for eight hours a day, and a piece such as a cow will take up to six weeks to complete.

She sells by commission and through exhibitions. She will be showing pieces at an exhibition at Newby Hall, near Ripon, in June and at a Christmas show in Stokesley.

She is now looking to expand into casting and working with bronze.

"We're very lucky, because both Rob and I are able to pursue something we love," she said. "It has been hard work, but we're very grateful to be where we are in life."

* Greens Restaurant is open every evening and Friday, Saturday and Sunday lunch times. Booking essential. For details on Ms Stothard's art pieces, or to make a booking, contact 01947 600284