Yesterday evening saw the culmination of VisitEngland’s Awards for Excellence at Rum Warehouse at The Titanic Hotel in Liverpool. The winner in the ‘Taste of England’ category was Allium, a Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms at the family-owned Askham Hall in the Lake District.
Winning at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence is far from easy. The winners are hand-picked by tourism industry experts, and this year, the judging panel were tasked with sifting through more than 300 eligible local winners across sixteen competitions.
One of the fine establishments in the running for the ‘Taste of England Award’ was Allium at Askham Hall, which the judges announced was the worthy recipient of the gold award.
Commenting on the win, a delighted Richard Swale (above), the Head Chef at Askham Hall, said, “We are over the moon with this achievement. The food at Askham Hall is a real passion for our entire team – a complete labour of love. We nurture our produce, literally, from field to fork, and play a part in every step of the process in everything from growing our own fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers to rearing our own meat, so you can imagine the pride that we’re feeling at this recognition.
“To be named one of the best food offerings in England is a dream come true. I’d like to thank our team for all their hard work and dedication in getting us here.”
About Askham Hall
Askham Hall is a nineteen-bedroom, family-owned country home. The custodians of the property are Caroline, Countess of Lonsdale, and her children, Charles Lowther and Marie-Louisa Raeburn. Fittingly, the VisitEngland award for its restaurant marks a double celebration for Askham Hall as 2024 also marks 300 years of the family owning it.
Some of the factors that likely helped sway the ‘Taste of England’ judges towards its Michelin-starred restaurant Allium are it grows, rears and produces its own produce, which it then incorporates into its seasonal menus. In addition, the establishment also boasts an enviable wine list, which is overseen by Nico Chieze, a renowned sommelier and Maitre de Maison.
You can learn more about the property and its facilities at www.askhamhall.co.uk.