A LUXURY restaurant near Kirkby Lonsdale has been awarded one of the food industry’s most prestigious accolades.

Head chef Oli Martin has become the first finalist of Masterchef: The Professionals to win four AA Rosettes, which were awarded to Hipping Hall, in Cowan Bridge.

The four rosettes are only awarded to restaurants deemed among the top across the UK, where the cooking demands national recognition.

Hipping Hall has been commended for exhibiting intense ambition, passion for excellence as well as superb technical skills and remarkable consistency.

Located on the borders of Lancashire, Yorkshire and Cumbria, Hipping Hall is a modern restaurant with rooms serving food sourced from the three counties.

Oli has held the position of head chef at Hipping Hall for five years, having joined the restaurant’s kitchens as sous chef in 2013.

Speaking of the news, he said: “Four AA Rosettes is something myself and the team have been working towards for the last few years now and I couldn’t be happier to see the determination and hard work finally pay off.

“Making the Masterchef final was such an achievement, but it feels all the more special to win something with the brilliant team at Hipping Hall by my side.”

His upbringing in Lytham, Lancashire, has inspired cooking that is firmly rooted in the countryside of the north west, reflected not only in the provenance of the ingredients but also the menu’s creativity.

At Hipping Hall, the menus change daily depending on availability of ingredients, with a five-course (£29.50) or seven-course (£45) set menu served at lunch and an 11-course (£80) menu available for dinner, with fully vegetarian options also offered.

Dishes might include head chef Oli’s take on Lancashire favourite the butter pie, made with caramel onion and Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese; a Lancashire Rose made with local beetroot and perilla.

Andrew Wildsmith, owner of Hipping Hall, said: “I’m so thrilled for Oli and the whole team at Hipping Hall.

“Attaining four rosettes has been a long-term ambition of ours, so to have this finally confirmed by the AA is fantastic.”