The Michelin Guide has published its Great Britain and Ireland Michelin Guide 2022. Whatever some cynics believe about the validity of awards, there’s no doubt that this is the one most chefs aspire to and it can make a huge increase in bookings. After the turbulence suffered by the hospitality industry for the last couple of years, many see this year’s guide as more important than ever.
Before we move on, yes, don’t worry, Manchester still has its one singular star for Restaurant Mana, despite a recent article in The Mill accusing chef Simon Martin of being undoubtably talented but a troubled person and a shitty boss. “At least there’s still one for Manchester despite brave valiant local effort to put the city back to zero,” one sardonic and successful pub owner commented on Twitter.
But let’s focus the good news, and there was plenty of that for the north west.
Simon Rogan’s Lake District restaurant L’Enclume, has been awarded its third Michelin star, making it the first ever restaurant in the north of England to do so. L’Enclume received its first Michelin star in 2005 and its second star in 2013, holds the number one spot in the UK Good Food Guide and a score of 10/10, five AA Rosettes, as well as two Michelin green stars, for L’Enclume and Roganic Hong Kong.
2022 marks two decades since Rogan opened the doors of L’Enclume in a former blacksmiths workshop in the Cumbrian village of Cartmel. The restaurant has risen to international prominence for its hyper-seasonal and traceable tasting menus alongside Simon’s pioneering work in the farm-to-fork movement. L’Enclume was awarded a newly created Michelin green star in 2021 for its sustainability efforts. Ingredients are harvested predominantly on Simon’s ‘Our Farm’, located a mile from the restaurant.
‘You could say it’s fantastic timing that we’ve received this news 20 years since I opened the doors of L’Enclume, which feels like forever but also just like yesterday,” says Simon Rogan. “Following the win of our second star nine years ago, achieving a third star has always been front of mind and something we’ve been striving for every day; be it through the evolution of our dishes and honing of our service-style, the meticulous work undertaken on Our Farm, or how we work to make every one of our guests feel, from when they enter the restaurant to the moment they leave.
“We might have grown our operation over the past two decades, but we’ve remained true to our core ethos and maintained the close-knit community feel amongst our team, whilst all this time proudly remaining as an independent restaurant group. This is an incredible week for us all and it’s going to take some time for it to truly sink in, but we will be celebrating this moment for a long time to come.”
A protege of Rogan’s, Mark Birchill also has a few reasons to celebrate as his highly esteemed restaurant Moor Hall in Aughton, Lancashire, retained its two star status as well as being awarded a Michelin Green Star award this year for its excellent sustainable practices. Moor Hall’s sister restaurant The Barn at Moor Hall was also awarded its first Michelin star this year.
There was great news for another Cumbrian establishment too as The Dog and Gun, a village pub in Skelton was one of 19 newly-starred restaurants joining the Michelin guide great Britain 1 star list for 2022.
The Black Swan at Oldstead, Hypha in Chester and Stockport’s Where the Light Gets in – all within reasonable driving distance from Manchester – also managed to retain their green star in 2022.
Other northern restaurants (along with Manchester’s mana) who retained their one star rating include The Black Swan at Oldstead and it's sister restaurant Roots in York, Rogan & Co in Cartmel, Forest Side in Grasmere, Fraiche in Birkenhead, HRiSHi on Bowness on Windermere, Northcote in Langho (pictured above), Old Stamp House in Ambleside, the Star Inn at Harome, The Angel at Hetton, The Man Behind The Curtain in Leeds and The White Swan at Fence near Burnley.
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Read the full list of New MICHELIN Stars & Awards in the MICHELIN Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2022 HERE