Simon Rogan reflects on 20 years of L’Enclume

Our journey started more than twenty years ago, in the charming village of Cartmel in The Lake District.  

I was born in Hampshire, and after working for a few years in the south and in London, I always thought I would end up starting my own restaurant close to home. It never crossed my mind that I would relocate to the north of England, selling everything I had to make it possible. But when I was presented with the opportunity to open my own place in a beautiful 18th-century former blacksmith’s building, I had to take it. On my first visit, I truly felt we could create something unique there, and since then, I haven’t looked back.  

In 2002, I opened L’Enclume, which is now the only three Michelin-starred restaurant in the north of the UK. Initially, attracting visitors from further afield was tricky, but everything changed when we received our first star. Over the next few years, we also opened Rogan & Co, our one Michelin-starred neighbourhood restaurant, Our Shop, and Aulis Cartmel, our chef’s table and development kitchen adjacent to L’Enclume.  

Although the village is home, the heart of our restaurants can be found at Our Farm in the Cartmel Valley. Our courageous decision to invest in the farm, made 11 years ago, has shaped what we are now and gives us a sense of place alongside a wealth of knowledge. It means that what we have built cannot be replicated. It is truly unique, reflecting the landscape, scenery, and unpredictability of nature. 

At Our Farm, we have ultimate control over the food processes involved. We choose what to grow, how to grow, and when to harvest. We work within the seasons, and they can be wild, but we never use pesticides or fertilisers. Instead, we give ourselves over to the whims of the weather, pushing us to be more creative. 

It is also the place that defines and solidifies our commitments to sustainability. Due to the proximity to Cartmel, we can control the freshness of our ingredients and reduce our carbon footprint. Not only that, we preserve any surplus produce for use in the winter when everything is scarce. These preserves are a fundamental part of our cooking style and are also crucial in our aim to operate at zero waste. As part of this mission, we have installed nine Ridan composters on the farm, turning the minimal waste we have into nutrient-rich compost within 18 weeks.   

But we haven’t stopped there. Over the past decade, we have expanded out of Cartmel, honouring this farm-to-table philosophy and dedication to sustainability. We opened Aulis London, our chef’s table in the capital, Henrock at Linthwaite House Hotel in Bowness-on-Windermere and our first international outposts, Roganic and Aulis Hong Kong. As in Cartmel, the restaurant teams are committed to working with the very best like-minded farmers, growers, and suppliers. In addition, we promote from within whenever we open new sites, giving our team ample opportunities.  

The pandemic was very difficult, but we didn’t let any of our team go – we stood by them. Despite the enormous challenges, we used it as an opportunity to innovate. Out of the need to use our surplus produce and feed the local community, we created Home by Simon Rogan, an ‘at home’ meal kit service which has won various awards and accolades. 

2022 marks the 20th anniversary of L’Enclume and the year that we were awarded that coveted three Michelin-star status, a life-long ambition of mine. As we celebrate this special year, I have started thinking ahead to the future. For me, it’s all about the next generation of chefs and front-of-house. We have always focused on nurturing our team and helping each member progress, but we are putting even more emphasis on this goal now. As an investment in their future, we have created The Simon Rogan Academy in collaboration with Kendal College, a paid, hands-on learning experience which takes 18 months to complete. We also operate a four-day working week, so all our team can return to the restaurants refreshed after a few days off. We aim to establish an educational platform to further develop the relationship between cooking and growing, and over the next few years, we will focus on how to reduce our environmental impact even further. We hope that we will achieve fully zero waste restaurants.  

Cartmel is now firmly established as a gastronomic destination worldwide, and we welcome anyone with ambition and who shares our vision of our small yet powerful community. 

To find out more about working with Simon Rogan and his team please click here