Lancashire restaurant wins THREE Michelin Stars as chef says 'one of the best feelings ever'

It is now ranked as one of the finest restaurants in the country, and it proved to be an emotional night for chef Mark Birchall

Lancashire's Moor Hall restaurant has joined an elite club of the UK's finest hospitality venues after it was awarded THREE Michelin Stars.

Chef Mark Birchall looked close to tears as he was announced as the only new recipient of the Three Star honour - considered the absolute pinnacle of gastronomic achievement - at the glittering Michelin Guide Awards Ceremony on Monday night.

As he walked to the stage, the show's host said: "Mark's understanding of flavour is impeccable." Asked how he felt at receiving the Three Stars, he couldn't hold back his emotion, blurting out "F***ing hell."

He has presided over Moor Hall, in a stunning landscaped estate in the village of Aughton, near Ormskirk in Lancashire, for the past eight years.

Talking about his journey to three Michelin Stars, Mark said: "I think you kind of dream about these things, you kind of almost act it out in your mind of how you will be, but the emotion is incredible.

"We got our first star in 2017 and that feeling is incredible, but this is one of the best feelings ever, this really has destroyed it. Mega, amazing," he added.

Asked what's the secret to his success, Mark said: "A good team, the core team have been with me from the start, I've got a great core. We look after our guests, really try to make them feel special and focus around that and the quality of the food. We've got an amazing surroundings. The support of my business partners, this is 8 years and it's incredible."

He then went on to pay tribute to his partner and family. And there was double celebration as he revealed his daughter celebrated her birthday on Monday too.

He said: "My family, she lets me do whatever I want to do in terms of work, we have three kids, and Jessica is five today so I'll never ever forget this date, it's really amazing, it really is."

Michelin inspectors summed up the achievements of Mark after the event. They wrote: "At Moor Hall, Chef Mark Birchall and his team have continued to hone their craft and have now achieved new levels of excellence. The ingredients, many from the kitchen garden, are outstanding; the chefs’ culinary technique is hugely impressive; and the judgement of flavours, of when to prioritise simplicity and when to add complexity, is exemplary.

"The Inspectors particularly enjoyed the classically based turbot cooked in brown butter, with seasonal kuri squash and Mylor prawns."

The new addition to the Three-Star family brings the total number of restaurants delivering “exceptional cuisine” to 10 across the UK. Moor Hall joins the likes of Simon Rogan's L'Enclume in Cartmel, Cumbria and Gordon Ramsay's London restaurant in the Three Michelin Star club.

Elsewhere at the awards there were 22 new One Michelin Star restaurants announced - including Manchester's Skof. Three new Two Michelin Star restaurants were announced - The Ritz and Humble Chicken both in London, and Hide and Fox in Kent.