A SOUTH Lakeland inn and restaurant has been awarded the 'Fabulous Food’ award in the Sawday’s British Hotel Awards.

The award was presented to the Punch Bowl Inn & Restaurant at Crosthwaite in the Lyth Valley by Tom Bell, Sawday’s British Hotels & Inns editor.

The Fabulous Food award is given to just one establishment out of the 300 selected for Sawday’s annual Special Places to Stay guide. It is awarded for innovative menus and places that consistently delight guests each year.

Presenting the award, Mr Bell said: “So many large hotels are anonymous spaces where you are known only by your room number and left to fend for yourself. Small hotels are the polar opposite: warm, intimate places that aren't ruled by a set of corporate instructions.

“The Punchbowl Inn is a timeless Lakeland inn lost in beautiful hills that draws a crowd from near and far for its delicious local food.”

The guide highlights Arthur Bridgeman Quin’s ‘ambrosial food’, paying particular attention to the Lancashire cheese soufflé, Cumbrian venison with smoked beetroot, and banana soufflé with vanilla ice cream.

The accolades are coming in thick and fast for the 2AA rosette inn & restaurant. In September The Punch Bowl was voted Cumbria’s Dining Pub of the Year for the third time in four years in the Good Pub Guide and earlier this week, chef Arthur Bridgeman Quin, of Kendal, claimed a coveted runner-up spot in the UK Young Chef of the Year competition.

He competed in a high-pressure two-hour cook-off against nine other finalists at the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards at The Restaurant Show at London’s Olympia.

Arthur cooked up a starter of pan fried Norwegian haddock, tortellini of smoked haddock and scallop, sea vegetables, sage, and Blanc de Blancs Champagne sauce. A main of whole roast Goosnargh Duck, Asian glaze, sweet and sour plum, turnip tops, Chinese jus, and a dessert of Hazelnut syrup sponge, British pink lady apple, Granny Smith apple sorbet and salted praline anglaise.

When announcing the winners of the awards, which were hosted by TV presenter Anna Walker, judges declared there were only five points separating the top three places in what was an exciting and close final.

Despite there being tough competition from all over the UK, the top three plaudits were taken by chefs from the North West. Northcote Manor’s Danny Young took the top prize and L’Enclume’s Thomas Reeves finished in third place behind Arthur.

“It’s a great competition, which helps you learn new things as well as testing yourself," said Arthur. "When you’re cooking, you don’t think about winning, you just want to deliver the best dish you can to the judges within the timescales."