L'Enclume
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | 2002 in Cartmel, Cumbria, England |
| Founder | Simon Rogan, Penny Tapsell |
| Headquarters | Cartmel , England |
Key people | Simon Rogan (chef), Penny Tapsell (partner/manager) |
| Products | Modern British cuisine |
L'Enclume (French for "the anvil") is a Modern British dining establishment founded in 2002, located in Cartmel, Cumbria, England. The restaurant is managed by chef Simon Rogan alongside his partner Penny Tapsell. It boasts three Michelin stars and has been awarded five AA Rosettes. Additionally, it has achieved a flawless 10 out of 10 rating on five occasions in The Good Food Guide. L'Enclume was recognized as the guide's top restaurant for four straight years until 2017 and secured the second position in 2018.
History
Following an extensive career as a chef, Rogan aimed to establish his own venue. In 2002, while residing in Littlehampton, he came across an 800-year-old former blacksmith's workshop in Cartmel available for lease. Although his initial preference was to open nearer to London, between Brighton and the New Forest, he made an offer on this property during his journey home and subsequently opened L'Enclume with Tapsell. The restaurant’s name pays homage to the building’s origins as a smithy.
Most of the ingredients used at L'Enclume are sourced from Rogan's nearby twelve-acre farm, where vegetables, herbs, edible flowers are cultivated alongside livestock such as cows, chickens, and pigs. The farm also includes a young orchard growing apples, damsons, and pears. To complement these supplies, the restaurant employs a dedicated full-time forager.
The establishment gained broader public attention through its appearance in The Trip, a BBC comedy featuring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon on a culinary tour across northern England.
Menu
Offering a 20-course tasting experience, the menu is crafted from wild herbs and flowers, drawing inspiration from chefs like Marc Veyrat, known for incorporating alpine plants into their cuisine. Rogan prioritizes ingredient excellence, stating: "It's about growing the perfect carrot rather than just cooking it perfectly. My dream menu would serve 20 raw courses, but I know I'd never get away with that."
Reception
L'Enclume was awarded its first Michelin star in 2005, followed by a second in 2013, and achieved its third in 2022. It earned its fifth AA Rosette in September 2010.
In 2013, Matthew Norman from The Telegraph gave the restaurant a 10/10 rating, describing it as "the clearest expression of culinary genius since the Fat Duck." The 2014 edition of the Good Food Guide granted L'Enclume a perfect cooking score of 10 and named it the UK’s leading restaurant. Lucy Lovell of the Manchester Evening News awarded it a 5/5 rating in 2016. That same year, it ranked second in Squaremeal's UK Top 100 Restaurants.
Maintaining an unbroken perfect score of 10 in the Good Food Guide through 2017 and 2018, L'Enclume held the top spot for four consecutive years before finishing second to Restaurant Nathan Outlaw in 2018.