Restaurants near Carlisle, Windermere and Cartmel awarded first Michelin Stars

Pentonbridge Inn, Heft and The Samling Hotel were among the winners at last night's ceremony. Credit: Pentonbridge Inn

Three restaurants have been awarded their first Michelin star at an awards ceremony for Cumbria.

The Michelin Guide awards stars to the best restaurants in the UK and Ireland and yesterday Cumbria received more first time stars than any region outside of London.

Pentonbridge Inn, in Penton brings the first star to the Carlisle area. Head chef Chris Archer attended the award ceremony at Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire.

A video was shown of the chef learning he had won a Michelin star while in the kitchen at Pentonbridge Inn. A Michelin white jacket had been hidden in a delivery of vegetables.

Chris said: “As a chef, it’s something that you hope and dream about for your entire career and it’s down to the dedication and hard work of the whole team that we have achieved it together at Pentonbridge.

Chris and sous chef Arran Seymour were at the awards where Chris was the first to be invited on stage to receive a Michelin star

“The quality of the food and drink in Cumbria has made it a must-visit destination for people across the UK and beyond and it makes me very proud that Pentonbridge is now included alongside the other Michelin starred restaurants in the county such as The Cottage in the Wood, The Old Stamp House and L’Enclume."

Also taking home a star was Kevin and Nicola Tickle, the couple behind Heft, Newton in Cartmel, which opened in 2021.

They said: "Being awarded a Michelin star is totally unexpected, we’ve just tried to do our best to bring a village pub back to life and put it back at the heart of the community that surrounds it.

During the ceremony, a total of 20 new Michelin One Star awards were presented. Credit: Jenny Jones Photography

"We really didn’t think we would be in the running this year, we really can’t describe what this means to us both, especially with all that’s been thrown at us in the last couple of years. We couldn’t be prouder of everyone that works with us; for us this is a real team effort."Finally, The Samling Hotel in Windermere was also awarded the first Michelin star for head chef Robbie Jenks. The hotel had previously been a Michelin star winner in 2017.

Mr. Jenks said: "We are honoured to be included among the world's best restaurants. Our team is constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the kitchen, and this recognition is a validation of our efforts."

Cumbria now boasts 10 Michelin One Star restaurants and one Michelin Three Star restaurant in L'Enclume at Cartmel.

A total of 188 restaurants in the UK hold at least one Michelin Star. There are 160 one Michelin Star restaurants, 20 two Michelin Star restaurants and just eight three Michelin Star restaurants in the UK.

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