A FINE dining restaurant has been awarded its third Michelin star, making it the first ever restaurant in the north of England to do so.

The year 2022 marks two decades since Simon opened the doors of L’Enclume in a former blacksmiths workshop in the historic 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.

Awarded the newly created Michelin green star in 2021 for its efforts in the sustainability sphere, L’Enclume uses ingredients harvested predominantly on ‘Our Farm’, Simon’s very own farm located a mile from the restaurant in the Cartmel Valley, alongside produce from other leading Lake District producers.

Simon, who is celebrating L’Enclume’s 20th anniversary this year, said: "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.

"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.’

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.

Simon Rogan’s restaurant portfolio currently includes eight restaurants worldwide including four in the Lake District (L’Enclume, Rogan & Co, Aulis and Henrock)

The name L’Enclume is taken from the French word for anvil, a traditional blacksmiths tool and the restaurant’s emblem.