A young North Yorkshire chef has won a special award in the country's most prestigious restaurant guide
Jake Jones, head chef at Middleton Lodge Estate’s Forge restaurant, has won the Michelin Young Chef of the Year award.
The 2024 Michelin Guide for Great Britain and Ireland, which lists the country's top reastaurants, was unveiled at Manchester's famous Midland Hotel yesterday (Monday, February 5).
Within a year of opening, The Forge - in Middleton Tyas near Richmond - has also been awarded a Michelin Green Star, which recognises sustainability
Jake, a 32-year-old chef raised in York, joined the estate in 2021, learning how to work with the landscape and start his journey of creating the new Forge dining experience.
He opened the Forge restaurant on the estate in February 2023. His tasting menus are influenced by seasonal produce from the 200-acre landscape with each dish using ingredients sourced either on-site or through strong relationships with local suppliers.
“I’m overjoyed to receive Michelin’s Young Chef of the Year award within a year of opening Forge," said Jake.
"I’ve worked closely with the estate owner James [Allison] and general manager Glen [Taylor] to develop the Forge experience.
“I’d like to thank them and the kitchen, front of house, and gardening teams who have helped make this possible."
Middleton Lodge has kept sustainability at the forefront of its restoration project. The estate has put in place many practices such as electric kitchens, biomass heating and more. As well as the introduction of beehives that help enhance pollination and produce honey for the estate.
After significant investment the original two-acre garden now yields seasonal produce for the estate kitchens which reduces food miles and champions the estate-to-plate ethos in place.
All this investment and work has led to Middleton Lodge receiving the Michelin Green Star for its commitment to ethical and environmental standards.
Estate owner, James Allison, said: “The team and I are so proud of Jake for receiving such a milestone achievement within a year of opening Forge. To be celebrating this, and the Michelin Green Star is amazing, we’re delighted."
He added: “I'd like to thank the wonderful team we have at Middleton Lodge for their passion, hard work and dedication; it's this that makes moments like these so special.
“Restoring the estate in the most environmentally conscious, sustainable way is at the core of what we do, which is why the Michelin Green Star means so much.
“I'd also like to thank Ross Forder, our Coach House head chef, for his creativity and dedication to our 'estate to plate' ethos."
Plans are also underway for hydroponics and aeroponics to further increase the estate's sustainable measures and reduce food miles, as well as increasing the range of plant-based dishes served to diners.
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