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Assistant coroner Catherine Cundy, sitting at North Yorkshire Coroner’s Court on August 8, confirmed that the 56-year-old chef was found dead at his home on Yewdale Road in Harrogate on July 21.

Mr Lancellotti was divorced and he was identified by his partner. The inquest was adjourned for a full hearing at a later date.

Originally from the small town of Sasso Marconi near Bologna, the Italian met his British wife, Harrogate BID director Sara Ferguson, in his home country before moving to Harrogate and opening Sasso with her father, Tadcaster-based architect Brian Ferguson, in 1998.

Stefano Lancellotti outside Sasso on July 4, just weeks before his death

Sasso first entered the Good Food Guide in 2008 and has remained there ever since. In 2005 it was named the best Italian restaurant in Yorkshire by The Yorkshire Post.

The family later opened a coffee bar, Caffe Marconi, close to Sasso on Princes Square.

Mr Lancellotti died just three weeks after giving an interview to the Harrogate Advertiser to celebrate Sasso’s 25th anniversary, in which he praised the restaurant’s loyal customer base and discussed challenging times in its early years.

Stefano Lancellotti: Inquest opens into sudden death of owner of Yorkshire restaurant featured in the Good Food Guide