A Michelin Green Star for Middleton Lodge

There are so many reasons to visit Middleton Lodge - the Yorkshire estate complete with an enchanting hotel and the immaculate Forest Spa. Now however, there are even more reasons as they have been awarded the Michelin Green Star, and at the same time, Jake Jones, the Head Chef at their Forge restaurant, has received Michelin’s Young Chef of the Year award within a year of Forge’s opening.

What is a Michelin Green Star?

The Michelin Green Star is awarded to restaurants that are best in class when it comes to sustainable practices. It's reserved for those who don't only serve exceptional food, but who also demonstrate excellent environmental and ethical leadership. Across its two tantalising dining options, The Coach House and Forge, Middleton Lodge has an an ‘estate-to-plate’ ethos that's rooted in working with the landscape.

Middleton Lodge's sustainable mindset

Jake Jones, a 32-year-old chef raised in York, is an instrumental part of that mindset, having learned to work with the landscape, and delivering tasting menus that are influenced by seasonal produce from the 200-acre estate. Produce is sourced either on-site or through strong relationships with local suppliers who share an eco-conscious ethos.

The estate's environmentally friendly ethos is not limited to its food production however. It has extensively researched and implemented various sustainable practices, including:

• Biomass heating
• Borehole water usage
• A biodigester
• Electric kitchens
• Recycling and reuse initiatives

In addition, beehives have been introduced to enhance pollination and produce estate honey, and the original two-acre garden was restored, now yielding seasonal produce for the estate kitchens, reducing food miles and championing the estate-to-plate ethos. Furthermore, new greenhouses and raised beds have been recently installed to increase the produce grown on the estate.

Looking for a luxury, sustainable spa break?