13 Cumbrian restaurants have retained their Michelin stars – and a new kid on the block has been honoured with a Bib Gourmand by the prestigious guide.
The Michelin Guide held its presentation of stars, green stars and Bib Gourmands yesterday, February 10, in Glasgow and Cumbria was once again among the top regions for stars.
And The Schelly, opened by brothers Ryan and Craig Blackburn in Ambleside last year, was presented with a Bib Gourmand.
The Schelly was included in the Michelin Guide within three months of opening its doors, has now become the only restaurant in Cumbria to hold a Bib Gourmand.
The Bib Gourmand distinction is the Michelin Guide’s way of recognising restaurants that offer good food at a great price.
Ryan said: ‘’Being awarded a Bib Gourmand within six months of opening the doors of The Schelly is exactly what we were hoping to achieve.
“Head chef Dan, my brother Craig, and the rest of the team have really delivered in terms of the food and the level of service we wanted to achieve, bringing the restaurant to life in the process.
“We couldn’t be prouder of the entire team; this is down to the effort and dedication of every single one of them. Achieving a Bib and being the only one in Cumbria reflects the passion of all of us, and I can’t think of a more deserving group of people to be recognised in this way.’’
The Blackburns’ sister restaurant, The Old Stamp House, also in Ambleside, retained its Michelin star for the sixth consecutive year.
Ryan added: ”We’re all over the moon to have retained our Michelin star for the sixth consecutive year.
“Every single member of the team ensures that every one of our guests has a truly memorable experience when they dine with us.
“This recognition is a testament to the hard work and professionalism of every member of the team, as well as the suppliers, farmers, and producers we work with who help us deliver consistency and quality. Simply put, thank you to everyone involved in what we do.’’
Cottage in the Wood, at Whinlatter, near Keswick, also retained its Michelin star for the sixth successive year.
Jack and Beth Bond, co-owners, said: ‘’We are totally thrilled to have retained The Cottage’s Michelin star.
“We’ve been on a rollercoaster journey buying the business last year, and as a team, we’ve grown and developed, and this continued recognition recognises and celebrates what we’ve all strived to achieve.
“Hopefully, our guests will agree that collectively, we’re in the process of creating something special, and this is just one more step on that road.’’
Heft, at Newton in Cartmel, retained its Michelin star for the third year running.
Co-owners Kevin and Nicola Tickle said: ‘’Retaining our Michelin star is fantastic news for the entire team.
“We’ve all worked really hard to get where we are and look forward to opening our guest rooms later this year.
“There’s lots to look forward to, and we’re going to continue to build on our success so far and push even harder in the coming years.
“We are massively proud of the journey we’re on and couldn’t have done it without our dedicated team, who have helped us every step of the way. This continued recognition represents everyone’s hard work in helping us to get to where we are, and we just want to say a big thank you to them.”
Michelin stars in Cumbria
Three stars
L’Enclume, Cartmel
One star
- Allium at Askham Hall, near Penrith
- Cedar Tree by Hrishikesh Desai, Brampton
- Cottage in the Wood, Whinlatter
- Dog & Gun, Skelton, near Penrith
- Forest Side, Grasmere
- Heft, Newton in Cartmel
- Lakes Road Kitchen, Ambleside
- Pentonbridge Inn, Penton, near Carlisle
- Rogan & Co, Cartmel
- Source@ The Gilpin, Windermere
- The Old Stamp House, Ambleside
- The Samling, Ambleside
L’Enclume also retained its green star and Skof in Manchester, run by Barrow-born Tom Barnes gained its first Michelin star.
