Lancaster chef 'proud' to keep Michelin Star after reveal ceremony

Executive chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen was able to keep hold of the highly coveted award after delivering excellent food and service at restaurant Northcote in Blackburn.

The restaurant is noted on the Michelin Guide website as having superb produce which is then fashioned into dishes with distinct and bold flavours.

Lisa said: "Myself and the team at Northcote are extremely proud to have retained our one Michelin star at this year's Michelin reveal.

“To retain our star all these years is such a huge achievement and one I'm really proud of.”

Lisa is widely renowned as one of the most innovative and exciting chefs in the country and is best known for winning season five of the BBC cooking show Great British Menu.

She is a former pupil of Carnforth High School and trained at Lancaster and Morecambe College.

At the start of her career, Lisa found employment at Northcote under Nigel Haworth in 2001 and just three years later she became head chef at the age of 23.

In 2018 she successfully retained the Michelin star at Northcote that had been held by Haworth since 1996.

Lisa said: “We strive to always maintain a high level of consistency and excellence, and I believe that's what Michelin looks for.

“Despite the challenges in the industry, we have been able to maintain that consistency and we've done it in true Lancashire spirit, providing a dining experience that people really enjoy.

“The team deserves huge recognition for this, they work tirelessly day in, day out. I am very grateful to each and every one of them."

Lisa is the youngest daughter of the late Morecambe businessman Ken Allen.

Lancashire is no stranger to Michelin starred restaurants after recently being named as the best place in the UK and Ireland to get a 'cheap' Michelin starred meal.

Some other Michelin starred restaurants in the area include So-lo and The Barn, both in Aughton, which have featured on the list of most affordable Michelin starred lunch and dinner venues respectively.