This morning, Michelin Guide announced its 2022 awards and a number of restaurants have come out on top.
None more so in the north, however, than Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume in Cumbria, which has made history this morning as the first restaurant outside of London and Bray to ever be bestowed with the honour of three Michelin stars – the highest award it is possible to receive.
As Chief Executive of Manchester’s Northern Restaurant and Bar show Thom Hetherington points out, it’s the first time in the 49 year history of the UK and Ireland guides that a restaurant up north has been awarded the gong.
L’Enclume was awarded its first Michelin star in 2005 and its second in 2013. Now, in its twentieth year, the restaurant in Cartmel can boast three stars.
Chef patron Simon Rogan pictured in the L’Enclume kitchen garden. / Image: L’Enclume
It is known for using the best in local produce, much home-produced on its own farm, and creating modern dishes packed full of flavour.
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Reacting to the news, chef-patron Simon Rogan shared his joy at being awarded the honour, tweeting: “Words cannot express the joy that I’m feeling! Thank you to @MichelinGuideUK , to everyone at @lenclume, thank you a thousand times. #threemichelinstars”
“Few restaurants represent the region in which they’re located more than L’Enclume and the Lake District. The cooking in this lovely old smithy has never stopped evolving and the energy emanating from the kitchen is as palpable as ever.
“Classic dishes have been reworked and refined, while stunning new dishes have slotted seamlessly into the set menu.
Image: L’Enclume
“Simon Rogan may have interests in other parts of the world, but his passion for his first restaurant remains undimmed – as does his commitment to Cartmel and his nearby 12-acre farm which produces so much of the superb produce that clearly inspires the kitchen.
“The enthusiasm and obvious pride of the youthful service team further enhance the experience, an experience made even more memorable if you stay in one of the bedrooms spread about the village.”
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A blog post from Michelin following the announcement this morning added:
“There is now quite an extraordinary level of finesse in every dish. Flavours linger long in the memory. The kitchen is practiced and focussed. Techniques are clever and, combinations, inventive and original. But however clever the construction, nothing gets in the way of allowing the ingredients to shine.
“The young, professional service team work with obvious pride and have a clear understanding of what makes a great restaurant. The atmosphere is warm, welcoming and inclusive; there isn’t a hint of arrogance or complacency; and every guest leaves feeling that they have been treated to something truly special.”
Image: L’Enclume
Since Michelin shared the news, messages of congratulations have flooded in for L’Enclume and its head chef Simon Rogan.
Restaurant consultant and NRB boss Thom Hetherington posted: “Well there you go. At last. The first @michlein 3* outside of London and Bray in the entire 49 years of the UK Michelin guide, and of course it’s up North. Unprecedented. Massive congratulations to @simon_rogan and the @lenclume team. A long time coming, and utterly deserved.”
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Gary Usher, the man behind the Elite Bistros group that includes Hispi and Kala, wrote: “Can’t not smile watching this. So so great! congratulations!”
UK Hospitality chief Kate Nicholls said: “Many congratulations – always a must-visit when in the Lakes” Daniel Cornwell posted: “*THE BEST*. I may have gone about how much love I have for this place. For them to finally get their third star is absolutely incredible news. So very very pleased for them all.”
Kirstie Allsopp threw a banana skin at a driver in Stockport in littering row
Daisy Jackson
TV personality Kirstie Allsopp has admitted that she threw a banana skin at a driver in Stockport after she caught them littering.
In a furious rant on Twitter, the Location, Location, Location star said that she ‘leapt out of the car’ in order to pick up the fruity peel that was thrown out of another car window.
She then lobbed it straight back into the car, at the littering offender.
Saying that she’s been ‘horrified’ by the state of litter across the UK, Kirstie detailed the incident from her visit to Stockport.
Kirstie said: “In the last few weeks, travelling around the UK, I’ve been horrified by how bad roadside litter has become. Why is litter so much worse, who thinks chucking an empty red bull, for example, out of a moving car is acceptable?
“Last week in Stockport a banana skin flew out of the window of the car in front, we were at [traffic lights] and I was a passenger so I leapt out of the car, picked it up and threw it back into the car, the driver just threw it back out again.
In the last few weeks, travelling around the UK, I’ve been horrified by how bad roadside litter has become. Why is litter so much worse, who thinks chucking an empty red bull, for example, out of a moving car is acceptable? Last week in Stockport a banana skin flew
“But that’s not how to solve the problem. What is the solution…… £££ fines? In some places police take litter very seriously, I don’t feel that in the UK though. Closing roads to clear the litter? This would inconvenience us all, but would be a reminder of the cost of litter. Asking roadside landowners to clear their patch? What do you think?”
She later added: “I have a pet theory on this, I think a lot of litter is guilty eating, people consuming things they know they shouldn’t, and not wanting to dispose of the evidence at home.”
One fan replied to her: “Ohh you have been to my neck of the woods i have wrote to Stockport Council several times about cleaning all this litter up and there answer was ‘yes we are rotared to do a clear up in May’, i said ‘how about every month’, they replied ‘we do a clear up once a year only’. I just laughed.”
Yes, it’s true – in what is news that admittedly sounds fake, but somehow actually isn’t, one of the best rappers of all time has revealed himself to be an avid watcher of Britain’s longest-running soap, and is such a fan of it, in fact, that he said he’s “determined” to make an appearance on it sometime in the future.
The iconic ITV soap – which is set in the fictional Manchester suburb of Weatherfield, and celebrated an impressive 60 years of entertaining the masses back in 2020 – currently averages around six million viewers per episode, and has developed a well-deserved legion of loyal fans over the last six decades.
And it turns out, one of those loyal fans is chart-topping rap superstar Snoop Dogg.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun this week, the 51-year-old first spoke about how he’s “down to perform” at King Charles III‘s Coronation in a couple of months time, before he launching into how much he loves another type of coronation.
“Coronation Street, I love it,” the 17-time Grammy Award nominee admitted.
Snoop Dogg says he’s a massive Coronation Street fan / Credit: ITV / The Manc Group
“If they call me I’ll do it. I’ll play whenever they need. I love the cinematography, acting, the storylines and just the reality.
“I’d like to be a part of it because they’ve been a part of my culture.”
As bizarre as it all sounds, this surprisingly isn’t the first time the rapper – whose real name is Calvin Broadus Jr – has publicly revealed he’s a fan of the soap, and even famously admitted all the way back in 2010 that he had his agent get in touch with ITV to see if there was any chance he could make an appearance.
“I had my agent reach out to them to see if they could try to get me on and they said they were interested so hopefully it might happen,” Snoop told the BBC.
“It would be perfect for me to be on the show.”
The chart-topping rapper says he’s ‘determined’ to get a role on it / Credit: ITV
The Drop It Like It’s Hot and The Next Episode rapper isn’t the only famous name who’s revealed himself to be a fan of Coronation Street in recent months.
One of the greatest and most well-respected singer songwriters of all time, Bob Dylan, also admitted in an interview with WSJ back in December 2022 that he loves binge-watching the soap.
Dylan explained that that he’s “no fan of packaged programs or news shows”, and that the ITV soap makes him “feel at home” despite being “old-fashioned”.
Georgina Pellant -
16th February 2022 
